Mosquito killers

[Anon]

Hello

I’m looking for a way to kill mosquito larvae in my zone five unfiltered pond, but I’m afraid to use fish, because I don’t want them to eat amphibian eggs!

Thanks

 

[zeuspaul]

I don't have any mosquito larvae in my zone 9 unfiltered frog dedicated pond. When I first built it about a year ago I had a lot. I used a mosquito dunk and about two weeks later they were all gone. It is a targeted bacteria which is not supposed to harm amphibians. I am a little skeptical because two days after using it in a 20 gallon tank I had a dead frog. It may just be a coincidence.

The plan was to throw in a dunk after seeing more larvae. However more larvae never appeared and I check about twice a week. Once you see larvae there is still time for the dunks to work before the adults arrive.

Why don't I have larvae now? I don't know for sure. I have pond skaters which are supposed to eat larvae. I also have backswimmers which are supposed to eat larvae too. Or it could be the Florida Blufin Killfish. I was buying some plants from a local guy and we talked about mosquitoes. He told me the Blufin wouldn't eat my tadpoles. I was skeptical but decided to try them out. He gave me about a half dozen to try. I rarely see them. They are small. I have seen a few babies so they must be surviving and breeding.

We finally had some rain after about an eight month dry spell. Now the frogs are croaking! I saw the first of the season eggs today. So far so good, the eggs appear to be undisturbed.

 

[brokensword]

If you provide water movement (not necessarily filtration), mosquitoes shouldn't lay their eggs; they like stagnant, non-moving water. Or use the dunks as noted above.


Michael

 

[Anon]

I don't have any mosquito larvae in my zone 9 unfiltered frog dedicated pond. When I first built it about a year ago I had a lot. I used a mosquito dunk and about two weeks later they were all gone. It is a targeted bacteria which is not supposed to harm amphibians. I am a little skeptical because two days after using it in a 20 gallon tank I had a dead frog. It may just be a coincidence.

The plan was to throw in a dunk after seeing more larvae. However more larvae never appeared and I check about twice a week. Once you see larvae there is still time for the dunks to work before the adults arrive.

Why don't I have larvae now? I don't know for sure. I have pond skaters which are supposed to eat larvae. I also have backswimmers which are supposed to eat larvae too. Or it could be the Florida Blufin Killfish. I was buying some plants from a local guy and we talked about mosquitoes. He told me the Blufin wouldn't eat my tadpoles. I was skeptical but decided to try them out. He gave me about a half dozen to try. I rarely see them. They are small. I have seen a few babies so they must be surviving and breeding.

We finally had some rain after about an eight month dry spell. Now the frogs are croaking! I saw the first of the season eggs today. So far so good, the eggs appear to be undisturbed.

Thanks!

 

[Angel]

Mosquito dunks

 

[seandelevan]

Agreed. Water movement is key.

 

[zeuspaul]

Agreed about water movement to control mosquitoes. However frogs like quiet, still water.