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Florida Tech graduate student Matthew Wittenrich would ace the university's aquaculture course.

After all, he wrote one of the books used in the class.

A month after Wittenrich received his master's degree in marine biology from Florida Tech in May, his book was hot off the press.


The book, "The Complete Illustrated Breeder's Guide to Marine Aquarium Fishes," is available online and at bookstores around the country.

Microcosm Ltd/TFH Publications, the book's publisher, calls it "the first detailed guide to amateur marine fish breeding."

The new book, which describes techniques for spawning and rearing almost 100 different marine species, already is considered a breakthrough in the field and essential for both amateurs and commercial breeders.

"Author Matt Wittenrich is gifted with the patience and rational powers of observation that enable him to capture the important details," an amazon.com review said.

The book is a step-by-step instruction manual aimed at serious hobbyists.

"These are the people fueled by passion and love what they do," Wittenrich said.

The young fish fanatic had been working on the book since 1999. He provided many of the photos for the large volume and is now under contract for photos for two other books.

Wittenrich started his professional writing career as a way to make money and satisfy some class requirements.

"My first article appeared in Tropical Fish Hobbyist when I was sixteen," he said. "It was an assignment for an English class."

Wittenrich always has been fascinated by fish.

His parents wondered what was going on when their son set up a trout hatchery in the basement of their Buffalo, N.Y., home.

Soon there were 55 saltwater aquariums and 100 tubs vying for space in the cellar.

"I started raising fresh water fish but went into the breeding of saltwater fish," Wittenrich said. "It was hard enough to raise saltwater fish, much less breed them. It's all about unraveling the secret."

This month, Wittenrich begins his doctoral program in biology at Florida Tech.

While working on his book, Wittenrich also completed the requirements for his master's, including hands-on projects such as tagging bull sharks in the Indian River Lagoon.

In his doctoral studies, he will focus on the feeding ability of coral reef fish larvae.

"So little is known about the larvae stages of fish," he said.

Wittenrich plans to continue his writing career, too, with a fish life cycle book that would incorporate his digital photography.

His parents no longer worry about their son's preoccupation with finny things.

"They are extremely proud," Wittenrich said.

"For years, they were so apprehensive I would turn into some crazy kid."

Source - Florida Today