Flying critter eaters

[Bamf Comics]

Somehow I've gotten an infestation/swarm situation developed. I can't be sure if it's from some plants that came in from E-Bay or just something that happened to fly in the back door. Whatever the source, any tips on eliminating them? As near as I can tell there may be at least two types. A number of tanks only had a betta and snails while I was waiting for them to cycle out and get their first retail stock. those seem to have numbers of larger ones bouncing around the surface currents. Another has bigger swarms of smaller faster little ones I don't see in the water but fly out when the lids open. Bettas aren't doing enough so I started dispersing the goldfish out temporarily into all the tanks to see if they can assist. I also hung some old fashioned sticky tape near the tanks yesterday. More annoying but getting results is a small plate on the counter with some food with a vacuum cleaner so 40 times a day I walk by, grab the vac and start sucking up everything I see before it flys away.

Any preferences for fish other than goldfish that can assist? Any tips on where they may be reproducing at to attack directly?

 

[Colin_T]

swarms of what?

If you have mozzie larvae or midges or flies and can catch them, put them in bags in the freezer and use them as food later on.

 

[Bamf Comics]

Tiny flying critters, the kind that land all over your food while you're trying to eat or dive into your beverage every time you sit the cup down. One even found my ear and woke me up last night. I don't recognize them as our typical gnats so I'm guessing they're impots from the plants like the snail infestation but far less lucrative. I've got thousands of snails of at least two different types now without ever buying anything other than a few plants off E-Bay. I'm assuming the flying critters are an additional gift included for free with the java moss, hornwort, guppy grass or java fern. Maybe they all donated something extra with their orders. Working on getting a live action video once the camera battery recharges.

 

[WhistlingBadger]

Interesting. They must have come in as larvae. I suppose it's also possible they came into your home some other way, then found a good habitat in the fish tank.

I use these to keep fruit flies under control. Just put a few of them where the bugs are hanging out. In your situation, I'd stick one horizontally over each corner of the tank to catch the critters as they leave the water. Or put a couple on the underside of your lid.

Amazon.com

As for predators, my padamya barbs (Pethia padamya) are death on small water bugs. Guppies and endlers seem pretty effective too. Goldfish will do the job, but they can make a mess, depending on how your tanks are set up.