Coral book recommendations

[xzt]

I am a beginner and would like to learn about keeping corals. Are there any authoritative books or literature in this field that I can read?

 

[PolypPocket]

I haven’t purchased any of these but this popped up on Facebook and I saved it because I thought it had potential. Not sure if it’s what you’re looking for though.

https://professorpolyp.com

Otherwise I’d say join a bunch of FB groups, ask questions here on the forum (plus there’s published articles), and look to see if you have a local reefing club.

 

[PolypPocket]

Link to articles: https://www.reef2reef.com/ams/

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

Go to reefs.com, they have in depth articles on many type of corals, also other interesting reef subjects.

 

[Gumbies R Us]

Tidal Gardens is another place I would check out. They have good guides on all of their corals.

Also going to link a few R2R resources that would be helpful for you

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/the-supreme-guide-to-setting-up-a-saltwater-reef-aquarium.138750/

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/just-a-few-tips-and-tricks-for-those-new-to-sps-and-reefing.40229/

https://www.reef2reef.com/ams/sps-and-lps-coral-your-guide-to-care-and-feeding.668/

 

[Daniel@R2R Verified Admin]

This question brings together 2 of my favorite things. Corals and books. I think we need more of those for sure. I have one by Anthony Calfo that's good but might be a bit dated by now. Tony Vargas has 2 more recent books out: The Coral Reef Aquarium and The Coral Reef Aquarium Volume II. I haven't read them, but I know he's an expert and I'd bet those are good. @Peace River might know of some other good ones.

I do tend to agree that a lot of the most current info is online. Tidal Gardens has already been mentioned as having great videos worth checking out (I highly recommend them), and BRS is of course another great source for video content on reefkeeping.

I do wish I knew of more great coral-focused books.

 

[Peace River]

Some people are looking for books or other information that provides a series of steps or a recipe and others are looking to understand corals in their care on a far deeper level. It may be helpful for you to understand what you are looking for, which will then help you choose a path that is right for you as you learn about corals and how to help them thrive in your care.

An often overlooked book can be found at the following link:
https://www.russellkelley.info/print/indo-pacific-coral-finder/

Much of the information that you need as a beginner can be found online and here on the R2R forum. I also encourage you to review the R2R article section. Several good books have already been mentioned and another that I will add to the list is
“Corals: A Quick Reference Guide” by Julian Sprung. Also read everything you can here (or anywhere else) that is written by @Randy Holmes-Farley and @Jay Hemdal.

One additional thought: focus on becoming a water gardener first and many of the issues with coral and fish will be corrected before they ever happen.

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

I am a beginner and would like to learn about keeping corals. Are there any authoritative books or literature in this field that I can read?

Here is a link to an online book about coral diseases. It isn't a "beginner" book, but it would be useful for you later on, and it's free!

https://www.oceano.org/wp-content/u...um_institut_oceanographique_monaco-mars26.pdf