Tropical Fish and Aquarium Magazine Reviews
       
       There is no better way to learn about the tropical fishhobby than by reading one or more aquarium magazines on a regular basis.  In the United States there are three (now two - see below) excellent general hobby aquarium magazines available. Each has a loyal group of fans that argue their favorite is the best.  I have been reading these magazines regularly for up to 40 years and what follows is my opinion of their strengths and weaknesses.
Magazines Make A Perfect Gift!
    It's really hard for someone who doesn't keep fish to find a perfect gift for an aquarists. I can guarantee you that a subscription to a tropical fish magazine is a gift that they will value and remember for a long time.
      Each of these magazines has a distinct personality but be aware that over the years each has changed its look, style and content mix.  I am originally writing this in mid 2007 but I will  update the reviews from time to time, especially if there is any real change in the magazine.
And Then There Were Two!
     As of its June 2010 issue, Freshwater and Marine Aquarium (FAMA), has ceased publication. Through the 1980's and 1990's FAMA was a main choice for most serious hobbyists, especially marine enthusiasts. FAMA was at the center of promoting new marine and reef keeping techniques and they helped to revolutionize the hobby.
      FAMA slowly lost steam through the late 1990's and in 2005 it was purchased by Bow tie Publications. Bow Tie publishes Aquarium Fish International (AFI see review below) and did a good job of working to restore the magazine. With the decision to stop publication AFI is expanding to include several of the columns and new articles that were in FAMA.
      Although FAMA is no longer published, I have archived our original review of the magazine here: Freshwater and Marine Aquarium      
        These are the two major national magazines in the US. There are a few specialty magazines for specific fish types and all of the national fish organizations put out publications, however, these are targeted publications and usually apeal only to the specialist. Therefore, if you are looking for a good magazine that will be enjoyed by anyone interested in keeping fish eiother or bnoth of the magazines reviewed below should be perfect.
        It is possible to purchase both of these magazines at some pet stores. If you cannot find them from your local shop check one of the large chain book stores as they often stock one or more titles.  The best option is to purchase a subscription. This not only insures that you will get the best possible price, you will also enjoy the regular arrival in the mail of your favorite magazine.
        If you would like to subscribe to one of these magazines please consider purchasing your subscription from us. We have partnered with some of the oldest, largest, and most dependable magazine subscription services on the Internet, to bring you the best possible pricing and service. Your purchase helps to support our parent site Dwarfcichlid.com.

Tropical Fish Hobbyist 

iconicon       Tropical Fish Hobbyist or TFH is the oldest and most revered of all the magazines. It has been published for more than 50 years and I can't begin to tell you how many hours of enjoyment I have had from reading this magazine. As a child I spent delighted days dreaming of collecting and keeping the fishes described.  TFH has always had good coverage of the collecting of fish and that tradition continues with frequent accounts of travels to far flung locals to seek the beauties that we all cherish.  Despite the many years of exploration and fish discovery, there is still a constant stream of new fish species being discovered and TFH does a great job of quickly printing info about many of the new species.
Price Drop on TFH!
    As of early 2009 the subscription price of Tropical Fish Hobbyist magazine has been dropping and it is now available for about $40.00 per year. The magazine has retained all of its great qualities that make it the best at a new lower price!

      This magazine is the standard of excellence as far as I am concerned. The writing is top notch and the photography is stunning. The quality of the words and images are greatly enhanced by the oversized heavy gloss paper used throughout the entire magazine. The magazine measures 9 inches wide instead of the standard 8 and the extra inch makes a big difference. The extra size combined with TFH's heavyweight glossy paper make each issue feel more like a book than a magazine.
     TFH also by far has the most content in every issue compared to the others. The average issue has 160 pages and of this only about 60 pages are advertising. This is a very high content ratio and the content is great. There are monthly columns on freshwater and saltwater topics, all written by the leading experts in the hobby. The feature articles are true features. They always seem to be as long as needed to really tell the story. I frequently marvel at the number of pages of text and photos that are given to individual stories. Fortunately, most of the articles are great so I love them being long and lavishly illustrated.
      I do need to say that this excellence comes at a price, a monetary price. While subscriptions to the other major magazines can be purchased at a very reasonable price, a subscription to TFH will be about $50.00 per year. However, for me there is no question when it comes time to renew, I gladly pay the price for a truly exceptional magazine. If you would like more information about subscribing to TFH please go here Tropical Fish Hobbyist Magazine

Aquarium Fish International

iconicon       Aquarium Fish International (AFI), formerly known as Aquarium Fish Magazine is a great publication and is probably the best choice for many hobbyists, especially beginners.  It is full of great information combined with high quality photos.  AFI positions itself as the magazine for introductory and general hobbyists and they do an excellent job of fitting that bill.  They give good overview coverage of all aspects of the hobby with a good balance between saltwater and freshwater content.
     Aquarium Fish International has a number of the very best experts that write for them on a regular basis. They balance feature articles with monthly columns. Most of their stories are geared toward the fish that most people are likely to encounter in
AFI Update!!!
     Effective June 2010, AFI has added more pages to add several columnists and significant new content from the former FAMA magazine. The new look for AFI includes an expansion to 144 pages, the addition of several FAMA columnists and more feture stories than ever. So far there has only been one issue of the new magazine but it looks great.
      Amazingly, at least for now, AFI remains less than $15.00 a year for a  12 issue subscription. - This is a real bargin!
their favorite fish store.  This makes American Fish International a perfect magazine for most fish keepers. Expert fishkeepers and highly specialized hobbyists will probably find much of the information rather basic but is is generally of excellent quality and represents great advice for the non-expert.
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     The average issue of Aquarium Fish International contains 120 - 130 pages with about a 50/50 mix of advertising and content. It measures a standard 8" x 11" and is printed on a fairly light paper stock. Subscription copies are shipped loose and may be subject to the occasional abuse that the postal service can supply. However, my copies generally arrive in good condition.
     I consider AFI to be the best value of the magazines. You can find a 1 year subscription for 15 or 16 dollars which is an incredible bargain for a great magazine that will supply hours of enjoyment every month. You can geat a great price on a subscription by visiting Aquarium Fish International Magazine
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Aquarium magazine reviews at tropicalfishmagazines.com
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