Habitat - Outdoor :: Do Rosies eat Mosquito larvae?

[SpotsMama]

We're getting our outside pond fixed up. I've read that small fish are really good for mosquito control. Would rosie red minnows be a good type for this? I've also read that something called mosquito fish are good. In the pictures mosquito fish look a lot like rosie red minnows. Do you think mosquito fish would be better than rosies, if indeed they are different?

[DavidY]

I think I've read that mosquito larvae are a natural food item for the rosies. I think they would be great in an outdoor pond. I've also heard that mosquito fish are good for ponds too. Why not get both? Biodiversity is a good thing!

[SpotsMama]

I'll get both!

I don't know about the cost of mosquito fish, but at 12 cents a fish I can afford to try it out with a lot of rosies.

[DavidY]

lol! I see you're a night owl too! Do you have trouble sleeping?

[SpotsMama]

No I don't have any trouble sleeping at all - in the day time. All my life - my whole school career and working life, I had to conform to the world that thinks it's virtuous to get up early in the morning and go to bed early at night. Now that I'm retired, I'm doing it on my schedule. I'm just a night owl - always was and always will be.

[DavidY]

Yea, I know what you mean! Me too. I'm self employed. I get my work from my clients, meet with them for several days to discuss the details, and then I'm off to design and develop the system in my home office, on my own work schedule. But I usually just sleep in a little later than the "norm". I still usually get up by 9 or 10am to take care of the kids and get my work done. I still try to be available during "normal" working hours to field any calls from clients. I wish I could be totally self-sufficient so i wouldn't have to depend on the outside world at all anymore.

Well, it's almost 4am here. Time to try and get to sleep now. Not that I really want to, but I still need to get up in the morning because of the stupid world. lol! G'nite!

[SpotsMama]

I don't know who started that myth that it's morally superior to be an early riser and an early-go-to-bedder. Grrrrr!

this is off topic of course, but since it's my topic I suppose it's ok.

[scripta_elegans]

I've heard very interesting discussions on both sides. From the biological perspective, humans are diurnal, as they need artifical accomation to function at night. But then there is also a theory that we stay on the schedule that our ancestors were on, so it creates a difference in real day and perceived day. From the psychological approach says that there are people who feel better being awake at night and some during the day. I myself, hope that I can work over night at some point because I really am a night owl too.

[FLhaven4strays]

I'll get both!

I don't know about the cost of mosquito fish, but at 12 cents a fish I can afford to try it out with a lot of rosies.

Looking at an old post here, I know...but I wanted to add my 2 cents.

Here in FL (Pasco county) we can just call the local mosquito control department (in phone book) & they'll bring out lots & lots of mosquito fish & put them in your pond for you FOR FREE. They are agressive fish, but I've managed to keep my large plecos and small 'feeder minnows' in with them w/o much problems. Other people have had lots of trouble w/ them though. They're also great breeders...you'll see lots of tiny fry frequently. Of course, the turtles take care of THAT problem....

[Weirdkid]

I'll get both!

I don't know about the cost of mosquito fish, but at 12 cents a fish I can afford to try it out with a lot of rosies.

Looking at an old post here, I know...but I wanted to add my 2 cents.

Here in FL (Pasco county) we can just call the local mosquito control department (in phone book) & they'll bring out lots & lots of mosquito fish & put them in your pond for you FOR FREE. They are agressive fish, but I've managed to keep my large plecos and small 'feeder minnows' in with them w/o much problems. Other people have had lots of trouble w/ them though. They're also great breeders...you'll see lots of tiny fry frequently. Of course, the turtles take care of THAT problem....

Lucky you! I've wanted some mosquito fish but they're pretty expensive online.

[SpotsMama]

Here's an update. There were some rosies in the tank - maybe a dozen. They multiplied to several hundred strong. By the end of September they were culled down to probably a hundred and they are still out there. There are big ones and little ones and every size in between. I feed them fish flakes every few days. When Spot lived outside I don't know whether he ate them or not.

I also added 6 mosquito fish. I know there was some multiplying of mosquito fish because there are now some big ones and some little ones - but not that many. Not nearly as many as the rosies. Maybe half dozen mosquito fish in all. I think the bigger rosies ate the little mosquito fish when they were born.

We never had a mosquito problem because of the pond. I don't know whether the rosies were eating mosquitos or both the rosies and the mosquito fish but whatever it was seemed to work. It's fun, too, to watch the big schools of rosies careening around the pond.

[Weirdkid]

Do you keep your pond heated?

[FLhaven4strays]

Do you keep your pond heated?

I have 3 heaters on hand, but haven't had to use them yet. The temps are still mid 80's here & water temp has been running upper 70's.

I dug the pond late Feb / early Mar 2007, so I haven't had a full winter with it yet. The temps have been fine since I filled it in March, but Dec / Jan are the coldest months around here. I'll be checking temps daily & watching the weather channel.

[Terryo]

I put some mosquito fish in my 60 gal and they were picking on the fishes tails, and then they multiplyed and I couldn't get them all out so I had to do a water change just to get them out. They looked like guppies and boy did they multiply....fast. I think all the fish eat mosquito lave. The little hatchlings love it. I never had a mosquito problem on the side where the pond is. The frogs sit on the rocks and eat the mosquitos too.