# Top 3 Aquarium Plant Books



## Urkevitz (Jan 12, 2004)

I like the Nature Aquarium World books alot. They aren't how-to books, but are pictures or nice aquascapes. I like both books alot.

The Diane Walstad book is a guide for lowlight aquariums using her method.


----------



## SunkShip (Oct 29, 2004)

I got this book: Encyclopedia of Aquarium Plants by Peter Hiscock
Someone sold it to me for five buck but I'm not sure if its worth the real price.


----------



## Luigi (Oct 6, 2005)

I ripped this from another thread, but have the same questions. 

Here are a couple of choices I have come up with. Would they give me the information I am looking for?

Ecology of the Planted Aquarium by Diana L. Walstad

Encyclopedia of Aquarium Plants (Hardcover) by Peter Hiscock

Any opinion on "Planted Aquariums: Creation and Maintenance by Christel Kasselmann"? Would that be something worthwhile getting instead or in addition of the two books above?

Thanks,

Luigi


----------



## Momotaro (Feb 21, 2003)

Those other books are nice, but if you are really into collecting and identifying plants you need to get "Aquarium Plants" by Christel Kasselmann.

That is _the_ book! 

Mike


----------



## Luigi (Oct 6, 2005)

I've decided the best 3 plant books are:

1. "Aquarium Plants" by Christel Kasselmann - $63.50
2. "Nature Aquarium World" series 1-3 by Takashi Amano - $23.73
3. "Planted Aquariums: Creation and Maintenance" by Christel Kasselmann - $33.50

Book 1 is the most expensive, but seems like the best one out of all my 3...I think its the one everyone recommends right?

Luigi


----------



## BSS (Sep 24, 2004)

As #2 is really three books, looks to me like you've selected five :icon_bigg ! Those are the ones I would go for. I have #1 (a must have, if you're really into this hobby!), and I have Vol 1 of the Amano set. In honesty, I haven't looked through it much yet, but many here said it was the best of the three.

Sounds like some good holiday reading/browsing!
Brian.


----------



## Luigi (Oct 6, 2005)

Hehe, I couldn't decide between the 3 nature books, but I'll put the first one on my list. :icon_bigg 

Gosh, that $60 book is kinda pricey, but you guys have me so curious.  

I appreciated the feedback,

Luigi


----------



## unirdna (Jan 22, 2004)

Luigi said:


> Gosh, that $60 book is kinda pricey, but you guys have me so curious.


That hefty price tag is probably due to the fact that the book needed to be traslated from German. The photos and descriptions are top-notch. I have _the_ book as well. Get a revised edition if possible. It has "new" plants in it like Blyxa japonica and Hydrotriche hottoniifloras - not available when the original was written.


----------



## thirston (Nov 17, 2004)

Shop around. I just got my copy of Kasselmanns 'Aquarium Plants' for $35 shipped. Yes, it was new in the shrink wrap with the publishers note about some photo errors. Try out e-bay, aquabid, amazon, etc...

I just got these 3 for myself (all were new)

Amanos 'Nature Aquarium Vol.1' -ebay $13 +shipping
Kasselmanns 'Aquarium Plants' -aquabid $35 free shipping
Walstads 'Ecology of the ...' -amazon $23 free shipping

...so, you're on the right track with your selection. Lots of good pics and reading between these books.

Take care.


----------



## plantbrain (Dec 15, 2003)

In addition to those cited:
I like some of the older books, Horemanii and Rataj's book is excellent.
I also like the Baensch series, they have excellent info in there.
Sculthorpe's The Biology of Aquatic Vascular Plants is second to none.
It's more technical abd anatomy and taxinomic in nature, but still very useful and it has plants you will never hear in any other aquatic plant book. It's dated, but still one of the best written books. 

Regards, 
Tom Barr


----------

