I have a pond and I want to know what fish will kill the spawn of satan.. mosquitos.. I dont want to buy those fancy co2 traps that kill them... Do goldfish or koi eat them? do the fish that do eat at the pet store?
2006-06-22 15:13:47 · 14 answers · asked by Tasteslikekittylitter 2 in Pets ➔ Fish
these people have some very good suggestions. most goldfish-type fish (comets, shubunkins, koi, black moors, etc) would be good pondfish as they are cold-tolerant and hearty. they will also eat anything they can fit in their mouths. so i say go for it. they will at least help control the population of mosquitoes that breeds in your pond.
on the other hand, if there are any other ponds nearby, or pretty much any standing water, you will still encounter a bunch of adult mosquitoes. i guess you could try to locate all the ponds in a 50 mile radius and toss some fish in, but i think it is worthwhile to consider setting up a bat box. you can make your own if you have simple carpentry skills... see here http://www.dnr.state.wi.us/org/land/er/publications/bats/assembly.htm for some directions, or you can buy them from hardware stores or online at ebay or http://www.bestnest.com/bestnest/bat-houses.asp?src=googleaws&kw=bat_box. i don't recommend using a bat box made from cedar... it has natural insect-repelling properties, and bats tend not to make their home in a place that repels their food source.
most bats are either protected or endangered, so once you set up a box you shouldn't remove it or relocate it. it may be illegal in your area to do so. so find a good permanent spot, about 18 feet up from the ground, and hang a box. even a small box can hold up to 40 bats... they snuggle in there like sardines. it is really something to watch them wake up en masse to hunt every night.
one small brown bat can consume as many as 1200 mosquitoes per hour.... and they do it pretty much all night long. they also eat other pesky insects. so while your fish take care of the larvae, your bats will take care of the biters/breeders.
anyway i know it isn't what you asked, i just thought it might also help with your situation. bat and fish droppings make good fertilizer, too!
2006-06-22 18:28:21 · answer #1 · answered by ecluv7 3 · 4⤊ 0⤋
Fish are a popular addition to the pond, they help ad life, color and personality to your water feature. Not only are they beautiful but can help balance your ecosystem as well. Fish, such as Koi will eat certain algae and help keep it under control. Fish will also eat mosquito larvae and insects that are out of reach of the skimmer. With a little luck, your fish spawn and allow you to witness first-hand the life-cycle of your ecosystem. Occasionally fish will find their way into the skimmer. This usually occurs for the first week or two. Simply remove the fish and place them back into the pond. The fish will quickly become adjusted to the current created by the skimmer and will no longer swim into the filter. If you have newborn fish, a temporary screen can be placed in front of the skimmer opening in order to prevent them from entering.
2006-06-22 15:19:14 · answer #2 · answered by nina_0923 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes...all hungry fish will eat them.They are the perfect food for your fish..
The fish will eat the larvae at an early stage..the mosquito takes approx 14 days to develop into pupae, and then 2 to become adult.If you keep the pond fairly clean, you can minimize the numbers of mosquito larvae, and the fish will clear the rest.As far as I know the mosquito fish is only available in Australia, and may be impossible to get hold of in the US, since they too aggressive at eat too much wildlife...if they were the perfect solution, malaria would be wiped out by now!
2006-06-22 15:19:30 · answer #3 · answered by lavito 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
There is actually a fish called the Mosquito fish. It's a livebearer that's good for ponds that eats mosquito larvae and as far as I know it's cheap. I've never actually kept any, but i've read a lot about them.
2006-06-22 15:18:39 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I have heard that goldfish will eat the eggs of the mosquitos ... don't know of it's true.
Running water for hte pond will make the water not ideal for mosquito breeding. Add a pretty pump and setup a fountain or waterfall.
2006-06-23 05:40:18 · answer #5 · answered by n-i-c 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Mosquito fish, guppies, swordtails, platies and some mollies. Mosquito fish tend to be the hardier of the other species but their colors are very drab (usually a dark silver.)
If you decide to get mosquito fish make sure you see if they legal to attain. In some states they are banned.
2006-06-22 15:31:16 · answer #6 · answered by rian 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Let's see, what I have heard that in Ardenwood Farm, they have a pond. They have goldfish in it and they said it will eat mosquito larvae. Koi also eats them, so, you are right.
2006-06-22 16:30:35 · answer #7 · answered by Richie R 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
there is a fish called a mosquito fish, my grandma has a lot in her lilly pad ponds. she has lots of lilly pad ponds and mosquito fish grow in there. they eat mosquito larvae in the water. i don't know how they grow but my grandma has thousands
2006-06-22 19:17:22 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
They eat a high protein diet mostly composed of small insects. You can and should feed them some vegetable matter though they need a high protein diet. Giving them some spirulina flakes or small betta pellets would add veggies to their diet.
2016-05-20 12:37:54 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Here in california they'll ship "mosquito fish" to you for free.
2006-06-22 17:12:39 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋