Over 37+ years of marriage, my husband and I have kept a number of unusual pets, along with the typical dogs and cats. For each of these (both the unusual and for each breed of the typical) we have purchased untold numbers of books about each animal. Most have been read once and never reviewed again because the information was too basic, found to be just plain incorrect or lacked an appropriate index to locate information when needed. The prospective and current cephalopod keeper will find this book pleasingly different. Octopuses and Cuttlefishes for the Home Aquarium stays on topic, has a 12 page index and provides solid guidelines for successfully choosing and keeping a cephalopod at home.
Opening the book, one of the first things the reader notices is the display of on topic photographs at the turn of every page. It is quite clear that the pictures are of multiple environments and depict actual aquarium pets, a welcomed accomplishment from both the publisher and the authors. The type is clear without being geriatric, the layout and subtopic headings make skimming for specific information quick and easy while the sidebars provide interesting suggestions or observations based upon personal experiences.
The content is a must for anyone contemplating keeping an octopus or cuttlefish. In December of 2006, with the help of [...], we added our first octopus to an aquarium designed and setup 8 months prior for this inhabitant. At that time there were no books and few on-line guides. Today keeping a cephalopod has become an interest to a fast growing number of marine enthusiasts but until this publishing, short, hard to find magazine articles have been the only publications giving a hint on successful aquarium environments and containing very little about care or what to expect during the animal's lifetime. Nancy and Colin discuss the entire captive life cycle from housing design, choosing a species, obtaining, acclimating, housing, feeding and egg laying to dying, providing aquarist with a clear understanding of the requirements for raising a cephalopod as well as sighting which animals to avoid and why they are unsuitable for aquarium life.
The book is an enjoyable and informative cover-to-cover read. Don't stop reading once you reach the appendix! It is full of interesting suggestions and factoids for enriching a cephalopod experience.