Mosquito fish

[Bill Hider]

I started seeing mosquito larva in the troughs, so I thought it was time to get some mosquito larva eating fish.  I found a guy in St. Augustine that had some, I called him and arranged to pick up 100 Mosquito Fish  (Gambusia sp. aff. Affinis).

I picked them up last Monday, took them home and after floating the transport bag for about an hour to adjust the temps, I opened the bag and let them all into the first trough, thinking they would shortly populate the entire system.  This first trough is where I run the water out of the fish tank, and there is an opening of about 6 square inches where the water spills into the trough.  

All of the troughs are covered with rafts, with about 1.5" inches of open water at the end of each raft.  I got out to the troughs in the morning, only to find that 44 fish had jumped out of the trough at the end, and apparently out of the opening where the tank water entered the system  In the following days, the rest of the fish jumped out, all apparently jumping out at the end of the rafts, as they were either on the ground next the to troughs, or actually laying on top of the rafts.  I think there may be 10 fish left in the system, although I really can't find any.

I don't know any way to more completely cover the troughs., except rebuild the troughs to perfectly cover each trough with rafts, but I had never thought it necessary to build for a perfect fit.  

Are there other fish that would eat the mosquito larva with out also attacking the plant roots.  I have read some where that Tetras might be a solution.

Anybody have any thoughts?

I know guppies like to feed on mosquito larva..... will they stay in the troughs?

[Dan Ponton]

I have air stones in my DWC and do not get any mosquito larva in them. They like still water.