mosquito fish

[Kim Romen]

We didn't used to have mosquitos in AZ, but now we do.  I can't stand that it's keeping us in the house.  I'm wondering if the skeeters are drawn to our AP system and I tend to think they are.  Do any of u use mosquito fish and find it helpful to lessen the skeeters in the yard?  the tank is topped off with a screen door so I'm not sure the fish would help-,maybe I'd have to leave the door up so that the skeeters can go close to the water?  do the fish eat them when the mosquitos land on the water?  thx!

[Jim Joy]

Mosquitoes are common in the farming areas of the Phoenix valley due to standing irrigation water.  Standing water anywhere becomes a hatchery for new mosquitoes.  My fish tank has bubblers, pumps and media bed drains that keep the water moving and discourage mosquito breeding.  My float beds have much slower moving water where I would expect mosquitoes to be attracted.  I do stock mosquito fish in the float beds.  They are very prolific.  There are hundreds in each float bed now.  I also see small mosquito fish in the main fish tank.  I'm sure the tilapia chomp the little mosquito fish.  

Mosquito fish feed on juvenile mosquito larvae.  They enthusiastically feed on mosquito larvae.  I have never seen a mosquito larvae in any of my float beds or fish tank.  

None of the fish would help with airborne mosquitoes.  Female mosquitoes seek out calm stagnant water for their eggs.  Only during the brief period when the female is laying eggs would fish be able to eat them.  So, I don't think any type of fish would help decrease the population of mature mosquitoes.   A UV bug zapper works great though.  

[Sue McL]

Hang the bug zapper above your fish tank and let the fish deal with the corpses? Free food?