Tropical Fish Encyclopaedia

Tropical Fish Encyclopaedia (1970) by Reginald Dutta – Sold by Crappy Old Books

A technicolour plunge into the finned and fabulous! Reginald Dutta’s Tropical Fish Encyclopaedia is a gloriously old-school guide to the aquarium hobby, brimming with charming illustrations, Latin names you’ll promptly forget, and advice that’s just slightly out of date—but no less enthusiastic for it.

First published in 1970 by Pelham Books, this well-thumbed tome captures a time when fishkeeping was part science, part art, and part pure optimism. Inside you’ll find a menagerie of tropical species, tips on tank setup, and the kind of bold declarations about water chemistry that only the ’70s could provide. From neon tetras to the mighty gourami, Dutta covers them all with the confident flair of a man who has definitely overfed a guppy or two in his day.

Condition: Slight whiff of mustiness, marginally warped spine, and a previous owner’s earnest notes in biro—but like a hardy angelfish, it’s still going strong.

Crappy Old Books: Where yesterday’s fish guides never die… they just float to the top of the bargain bin.

Ex-library book from Borough of Barnet Public Libraries. Plastic cover.

Keep browsing: See more Hobbies books Other books by Reginald Dutta