Tiny Green Flies

[Avinitlarge]

Ive noticed something going on in my cory tank. There are loads of tiny green flies round the lid they are about 1.5mm long. At 1st there were only a couple but now there are 20+. Any idea what there are??

 

[trit0n2003]

not sure what they are, but the must like to breed on water. Is your water very still? they will easily be attracted to breed there then.

At least that is experience i have with mosquitoes were i live. I have tanks in my garage for breeding and when i have fry in them and lower the filter flow to a very minimal amount, the water is then almost perfectly still. and it attracts insects that breed on still water.

 

[AstonN24vantage]

maybe this would help you: http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=277805

 

[Avinitlarge]

The water is pretty still.

Ive looked at that topic and nothing looks or sounds similar

 

[trit0n2003]

The water is pretty still.

Ive looked at that topic and nothing looks or sounds similar

ya they must just be attracted to the still water, but no idea what it could be. probably harmless and if they do lay eggs you should put an active fish in there to gobble them up like a zebra danio/ platy/ guppy

 

[Avinitlarge]

Ive put the filter on full whack and lifted it up so the return is at the surface. Ive got a bag full of guppies coming in the next few days at a bargin price of 20p each

 

[trit0n2003]

that should keep them from laying eggs at the surface, but those guppies will definetly eat up anything that gets close lol

 

[Avinitlarge]

Thats the only reason I am getting them. Im not a fan of guppies but they will my the cory tank look better until the corys are big enough to go into my Discus tank and they will help control the flies. In a few months when the corys get moved, I will sell or give the guppies away.

 

[trit0n2003]

OR, just keep them for their fry and feed the fry to your discuss. Live food is delicious.

 

[Avinitlarge]

LOL, Good point. Live food on tap.

 

[trit0n2003]

lol exactly, i am actually in the process of making my own "giant" breeder.

I am going to get some sort of mesh or grated piece of plastic that i can fit into a 10 gallon tank that will sit about 1/3 from the bottom.

This way i will have all my adults swimming and mating above and have them breed freely (either egg droppers or live bearers), let them pop out the eggs or fry and when i need them ill just quickly net the adults and harvest the food. then back in they go!

should work well i presumeeee

 

[dipsydoodlenoodle]

Not that I can help but I have them in my newt tank too; although not many now (I've been squashing as I've been going).

I fed my newts live blood worm (in a smaller tank) and when I cleaned their tank out and put the newts back in I had flies (could be coincidence but I never had them before). I have 2 other tanks in the same room and they've both been fine as well.

It would be really interesting to find out what they are.

 

[Avinitlarge]

Today I stripped the tank for the 2nd time. I found why I didnt get rid of them the 1st time, There were loads of them living in the filter foam. I put a few of the larve into a cup and experimented with various ideas to see what would kill them.

A soloution of 50/50 Bleach and water DIDNT kill them!!
A soloution of 50/50 Disinfetant and water DID kill them but I didnt want to use disinfectant with my tank
Boiling water worked straight away though.

I boiled everything from the tank, Obviously not the fish. I carefully washed the tank out with boiling water too, I know it was very risky but it didnt crack the tank. Now I need to add some mature media from one of my other tanks and refill. I will see how it goes.

 

[dipsydoodlenoodle]

Oh thats good news. I gues I should check in my filter next time I see a lot of them. I haven't seen any for a while now