https://lagonia.org/posts/ Recent content in Posts on Lagonia Hugo en-gb Wed, 29 Jul 2026 20:15:30 +0200 https://lagonia.org/posts/fin-rot-treatment/ Wed, 29 Jul 2026 20:15:30 +0200 https://lagonia.org/posts/fin-rot-treatment/ Fin rot is a bacterial infection that follows bad water, not bad luck. How to tell it from fin nipping, why fixing the tank comes before any medication, and how to treat and prevent it. https://lagonia.org/posts/endlers-livebearer-care/ Wed, 29 Jul 2026 20:13:15 +0200 https://lagonia.org/posts/endlers-livebearer-care/ Endler's livebearers are small, dazzling and perfectly at home in hard alkaline tap water. Tank size, parameters, feeding, keeping strains pure, and why they breed almost too well. https://lagonia.org/posts/nerite-snail-care/ Sun, 26 Jul 2026 20:14:00 +0200 https://lagonia.org/posts/nerite-snail-care/ Nerite snails are the best algae eaters in freshwater, and they need hard, mineral-rich water to keep their shells healthy. Why hard tap suits them perfectly, what they eat, the harmless white eggs, and why they will not overrun your tank. https://lagonia.org/posts/molly-fish-care/ Sun, 26 Jul 2026 20:13:00 +0200 https://lagonia.org/posts/molly-fish-care/ Mollies want warm, hard, alkaline water, which makes them one of the best fish for the very hard tap so many of us are stuck with. Tank size, water parameters, diet, tank mates and the truth about the dreaded shimmies. https://lagonia.org/posts/ideal-gh-for-shrimp/ Thu, 23 Jul 2026 14:00:00 +0200 https://lagonia.org/posts/ideal-gh-for-shrimp/ Neocaridina cherry shrimp want a GH of about 6 to 12 dGH, and Caridina crystal shrimp far softer at 4 to 6. Why GH matters so much for moulting, and how to hit the right number for your shrimp. https://lagonia.org/posts/aquarium-heater-size-watts/ Thu, 23 Jul 2026 13:00:00 +0200 https://lagonia.org/posts/aquarium-heater-size-watts/ A rough guide of 1 to 1.5 watts per litre suits most tropical tanks in a normal heated room. How to size an aquarium heater, when to go higher, and why two smaller heaters often beat one big one. https://lagonia.org/posts/ph-for-community-tank/ Thu, 23 Jul 2026 12:00:00 +0200 https://lagonia.org/posts/ph-for-community-tank/ A stable pH anywhere between 6.5 and 8 suits almost every community fish. Why stability matters far more than the exact number, and why chasing a 'perfect' pH does more harm than good. https://lagonia.org/posts/betta-tank-setup/ Thu, 23 Jul 2026 11:00:00 +0200 https://lagonia.org/posts/betta-tank-setup/ A step-by-step betta tank setup guide: the right tank size, heater, gentle filter, plants and lid, how to cycle it, and how to bring your Siamese fighting fish home safely. https://lagonia.org/posts/gh-kh-explained/ Thu, 23 Jul 2026 10:00:00 +0200 https://lagonia.org/posts/gh-kh-explained/ A plain-English guide to GH and KH for aquariums: what each number measures, how to test it, dGH and ppm conversions, and how to raise or lower hardness safely without chasing pH. https://lagonia.org/posts/neolamprologus-similis-care/ Thu, 23 Jul 2026 09:00:00 +0200 https://lagonia.org/posts/neolamprologus-similis-care/ A species profile of Neolamprologus similis, the striped Tanganyikan shell-dweller: how it differs from multifasciatus, tank size, hard water, shells, colony stocking, feeding and breeding. https://lagonia.org/posts/zebra-danio-care/ Wed, 22 Jul 2026 20:20:00 +0200 https://lagonia.org/posts/zebra-danio-care/ A practical care guide to zebra danios, the hardy, fast-swimming shoaler that takes hard alkaline water in its stride. School size, tank shape, temperature, feeding and breeding, from hands-on experience. https://lagonia.org/posts/platy-care/ Wed, 22 Jul 2026 20:14:09 +0200 https://lagonia.org/posts/platy-care/ A hands-on care guide to platies, the cheerful livebearer that thrives in hard alkaline tap water. Tank size, parameters, feeding, sexing, tank mates and the non-stop breeding, from someone who keeps them. https://lagonia.org/posts/white-spot-ich-treatment/ Sun, 19 Jul 2026 20:20:00 +0200 https://lagonia.org/posts/white-spot-ich-treatment/ A practical, honest guide to identifying and treating white spot disease (ich), the salt-grain parasite that hits so many aquariums. Lifecycle, why heat works, salt versus medication and how to avoid it next time. https://lagonia.org/posts/guppy-care/ Sun, 19 Jul 2026 20:15:00 +0200 https://lagonia.org/posts/guppy-care/ A hands-on care guide to guppies, the hardy livebearer that actively thrives in hard alkaline tap water. Tank size, parameters, feeding, tank mates and the endless breeding, from someone who keeps them. https://lagonia.org/posts/how-many-fish-can-i-keep/ Wed, 15 Jul 2026 18:24:00 +0200 https://lagonia.org/posts/how-many-fish-can-i-keep/ The old inch-per-gallon rule leads people badly astray. A practical way to think about stocking based on adult size, body mass, surface area, filtration and how much maintenance you are willing to do, with an honest steer towards fish that suit hard water. https://lagonia.org/posts/aquarium-nitrogen-cycle-explained/ Wed, 15 Jul 2026 18:22:00 +0200 https://lagonia.org/posts/aquarium-nitrogen-cycle-explained/ What the nitrogen cycle actually is, in plain terms: where ammonia comes from, the invisible bacteria that turn it into nitrite and then nitrate, why hard alkaline water makes ammonia more dangerous, and how you keep the whole thing ticking over. https://lagonia.org/posts/hard-water-aquarium-plants/ Wed, 15 Jul 2026 09:20:00 +0200 https://lagonia.org/posts/hard-water-aquarium-plants/ Hard alkaline tap water suits far more aquarium plants than beginners fear. The tough, forgiving species that grow without CO2 or soft water, an honest note on the chalky crust some develop, and how to get them going. https://lagonia.org/posts/why-are-my-fish-dying/ Wed, 15 Jul 2026 09:15:00 +0200 https://lagonia.org/posts/why-are-my-fish-dying/ When fish keep dying it is almost never bad luck or weak stock. A calm, ordered checklist of the real causes: new tank syndrome, chlorine, temperature shock, overstocking, disease, and keeping the wrong fish for your water. https://lagonia.org/posts/best-beginner-aquarium-fish/ Sun, 12 Jul 2026 13:15:00 +0200 https://lagonia.org/posts/best-beginner-aquarium-fish/ The hardy, forgiving freshwater fish that give a new fishkeeper the best possible start, with an honest steer towards the livebearers and other species that thrive in hard alkaline tap water rather than fighting against it. https://lagonia.org/posts/why-is-my-aquarium-water-green/ Sun, 12 Jul 2026 13:05:00 +0200 https://lagonia.org/posts/why-is-my-aquarium-water-green/ Green aquarium water is a bloom of free-floating algae, not dirt, and you cannot out-scrub it. What triggers it, why water changes alone fail, and the two methods that actually clear it: a proper blackout and a UV steriliser. https://lagonia.org/posts/undergravel-filters/ Wed, 08 Jul 2026 13:00:00 +0200 https://lagonia.org/posts/undergravel-filters/ The contrarian case for under-gravel filters, why the brown gunk is beneficial biofilm not waste, how to run one properly, and the long-term test tank I am starting to prove it. https://lagonia.org/posts/hard-water-aquarium-fish/ Wed, 08 Jul 2026 11:00:00 +0200 https://lagonia.org/posts/hard-water-aquarium-fish/ A first-hand stocking guide for hard, alkaline tap water: the livebearers, Rift Lake cichlids and rainbowfish that love it, the soft-water species I gave up on, and how to stock with your water instead of against it. https://lagonia.org/posts/keeping-shell-dwelling-cichlids/ Wed, 08 Jul 2026 09:00:00 +0200 https://lagonia.org/posts/keeping-shell-dwelling-cichlids/ How I set up and run a Neolamprologus multifasciatus shellie colony in very hard tap water, including tank size, sand, shells, breeding, tankmates and the mistakes I made early on. https://lagonia.org/posts/shell-dwellers-multifasciatus/ Sun, 05 Jul 2026 10:00:00 +0200 https://lagonia.org/posts/shell-dwellers-multifasciatus/ A hands-on care and breeding guide to multies, the shell-dwelling Tanganyikan cichlid that runs its own tiny civilisation. Tank, water, shells, stocking, feeding and how they breed themselves, from someone who keeps a colony. https://lagonia.org/posts/hard-water-fish/ Sat, 04 Jul 2026 10:00:00 +0200 https://lagonia.org/posts/hard-water-fish/ Most beginners with hard tap water think it needs fixing. Usually it does not. How GH and KH really work, why chasing pH is the mistake that kills fish, and the species that thrive in hard, alkaline water. https://lagonia.org/posts/aquarium-snails/ Fri, 03 Jul 2026 10:00:00 +0200 https://lagonia.org/posts/aquarium-snails/ Where pest snails really come from, why a snail boom means overfeeding, the genuinely useful species, and how to control numbers without chemicals. https://lagonia.org/posts/fishless-cycling/ Thu, 02 Jul 2026 10:00:00 +0200 https://lagonia.org/posts/fishless-cycling/ Cycling a tank before adding fish is the biggest difference between a smooth start and dead fish within a fortnight. What the nitrogen cycle is, how to do a fishless cycle, how long it really takes, and the mistakes that wreck it. https://lagonia.org/posts/cloudy-aquarium-water/ Wed, 01 Jul 2026 10:00:00 +0200 https://lagonia.org/posts/cloudy-aquarium-water/ Diagnose cloudy aquarium water by its colour and timing: white bacterial blooms, green algae blooms, substrate dust and organic haze, and the right fix for each (often doing less, not more). https://lagonia.org/posts/aquarium-water-changes/ Tue, 30 Jun 2026 10:00:00 +0200 https://lagonia.org/posts/aquarium-water-changes/ Why water changes matter, how much and how often for your stocking, and how to do them properly: dechlorinate, temperature-match, siphon the substrate, and never rinse filter media in tap water. https://lagonia.org/posts/breeding-livebearers/ Mon, 29 Jun 2026 10:00:00 +0200 https://lagonia.org/posts/breeding-livebearers/ Livebearers breed almost by themselves. Sexing, gestation, raising fry, why hard water suits them, and an honest section on selection and culling. https://lagonia.org/posts/aquarium-algae/ Sun, 28 Jun 2026 10:00:00 +0200 https://lagonia.org/posts/aquarium-algae/ Identify the common aquarium algae, diatoms, green spot, green dust, hair, black beard and blue-green, and treat the cause of each rather than scrubbing the symptom. Light and balance, not bottles. https://lagonia.org/posts/choosing-an-aquarium-filter/ Sat, 27 Jun 2026 10:00:00 +0200 https://lagonia.org/posts/choosing-an-aquarium-filter/ Sponge, internal, hang-on-back or canister filter? How to match filter type and turnover to your tank and stock, and why biological media matters most. https://lagonia.org/posts/aquarium-filtration/ Fri, 26 Jun 2026 10:00:00 +0200 https://lagonia.org/posts/aquarium-filtration/ What a filter really does (house bacteria), the three jobs of filtration, honest pros and cons of sponge, HOB, internal, canister and sump filters, which media matter, and why biofiltration, not volume, limits stocking. https://lagonia.org/posts/quarantine-new-fish/ Thu, 25 Jun 2026 10:00:00 +0200 https://lagonia.org/posts/quarantine-new-fish/ Why a cheap bare-bottom quarantine tank pays for itself, the minimum kit you need, what to watch for over 2 to 4 weeks, and how to acclimatise new fish. https://lagonia.org/posts/beginner-aquarium-plants/ Wed, 24 Jun 2026 10:00:00 +0200 https://lagonia.org/posts/beginner-aquarium-plants/ You do not need pressurised CO2 or fancy lights to keep live plants. The near-bulletproof beginner plants, how to actually plant each one, low-tech substrate and light, and why patience beats panic through the melt. https://lagonia.org/posts/aquarium-water-parameters/ Mon, 22 Jun 2026 10:00:00 +0200 https://lagonia.org/posts/aquarium-water-parameters/ What each aquarium water parameter means, what a healthy reading looks like, and what to do when it is off. Ammonia and nitrite at zero, nitrate low, and why stability beats chasing a perfect pH. https://lagonia.org/posts/feeding-aquarium-fish/ Sun, 21 Jun 2026 10:00:00 +0200 https://lagonia.org/posts/feeding-aquarium-fish/ Overfeeding is the number one beginner mistake. How much fish actually need, sensible feeding schedules, fasting days, and why excess food drives ammonia and algae. https://lagonia.org/posts/choosing-your-first-aquarium/ Thu, 18 Jun 2026 10:00:00 +0200 https://lagonia.org/posts/choosing-your-first-aquarium/ Why a 60 to 100 litre tank is genuinely easier for a beginner than a nano, plus footprint, glass versus acrylic, kit choices and where to put it. https://lagonia.org/posts/aquarium-maintenance-schedule/ Tue, 16 Jun 2026 10:00:00 +0200 https://lagonia.org/posts/aquarium-maintenance-schedule/ A daily, weekly and monthly aquarium maintenance routine that survives real life, plus the deep-clean mistakes that crash mature tanks. https://lagonia.org/posts/kribensis-care/ Sun, 14 Jun 2026 10:00:00 +0200 https://lagonia.org/posts/kribensis-care/ Pelvicachromis pulcher handles hard water, pairs for life and spawns in caves. Care, sexing, tankmates and what really happens when a krib pair breeds. https://lagonia.org/posts/bristlenose-pleco-care/ Fri, 12 Jun 2026 10:00:00 +0200 https://lagonia.org/posts/bristlenose-pleco-care/ Ancistrus stay under 15 cm, actually eat algae, and breed readily in caves. Why the bristlenose beats the common pleco, plus diet, driftwood and breeding. https://lagonia.org/posts/betta-care/ Thu, 11 Jun 2026 10:00:00 +0200 https://lagonia.org/posts/betta-care/ Bettas survive in bowls and thrive in heated, filtered tanks. Real requirements for Betta splendens: tank size, temperature, gentle flow, feeding and fin health. https://lagonia.org/posts/cherry-shrimp-care/ Wed, 10 Jun 2026 10:00:00 +0200 https://lagonia.org/posts/cherry-shrimp-care/ Neocaridina davidi thrive in hard, alkaline water. How to build a self-sustaining cherry shrimp colony, what they actually eat, and which tankmates will empty the tank.