Born in Philadelphia, he was the founder, publisher and editor of The Aquarium, the first successful national magazine on the subject of keeping freshwater tropical fishes.
He had decided that the Kodachrome film of the day required too much light and did not accurately show the true colors of various fishes.
Innes held the desire that the book would be updated on a regular basis, even after his death, and collaborated with younger friend and colleague, Dr. George S. Myers, to that end.
When Innes failed to renew the copyright of the first edition, Axelrod quickly took advantage of the situation and published a new version of the classic.
They can be identified by their dark green, 'leatherette' covers and binding, featuring an image of a trio of harlequin rasboras stamped in 14k gold.
An extensive collection of his writings, sketches, photographs and correspondence is housed at the American Philosophical Society in Philadelphia.