WILD Mosquito Larvae as FOOD

[Stickleback]

Hi all

Have you any thoughts on using outdoor caught inverts, tiny worms/larvae as live food for the tank?

I have just spotted some tiny worms 1/4" (5mm) or so, and am thinking my Glowlights might find them tasty. but I thought I'd better ask advice first

Thanks

 

[Vircomore]

Main concern with taking anything from nature (plants, inverts, decor) and putting it into your aquarium is the risk of pollutants.

You would have to be absolutely sure that the larvae or worms you collect were not exposed to any pesticides or chemicals that could potentially harm your fish.

 

[Stickleback]

You would have to be absolutely sure that the larvae or worms you collect were not exposed to any pesticides or chemicals that could potentially harm your fish.

Thanks...that sounds good! My garden has been totally organic (no insecticides/pesticides) for the last ten years !

Most of what I see is in standing water, trapped in children's toys and the like around the garden.

Should be ok then?

 

[Vircomore]

It's definitely something to try. I'd still recommend straining them out through something like a coffee filter, and then rinsing them in the coffee filter using a small cup of water from your aquarium - before you add them. That way you can be "as sure as possible" that there's no pollutants getting in.

 

[Vircomore]

Also, make sure if you're going to try and feed mosquito larvae that you only feed enough that you're sure the fish ate them all. If you want to keep the rest in a jar of water with some holes in the lid that's fine - but if some larvae survive and then hatch in your tank - you could have some unwelcome guests buzzing around your house.

 

[Stickleback]

great idea Vircomore...will be trying that.

 

[BigJim]

Before all the nicely packaged foods, people would go to the swamps with seines and collect live food.

 

[cabezon]

none of my fish ate mosquitoes.

i live in florida where small children have been known to be sucked dry by mosquitoes and end up looking like raisins. you may want to start a neighborhood campaign to clear out any standing water. we had a huge problem with foreclosed houses and pools. i don't know what it is like in Ireland.

 

[Stickleback]

I don't know what it is like in Ireland.

hmm...too cold for Mozzies to be a problem

Not very many biting insects here thankfully. Some areas (like swampy/boggy country) have troublesome times of the year, but generally speaking they are not too much of a problem.

I take it small spiders, and small enough insects would be OK too?

 

[Wy Renegade]

Curious as to the possibility of introducing some type of disease that doesn't cause problems with the native populations into a tank, were the tank-raised fish don't have the inborn immunity? I've always heard this as a reason for not mixing tropic/tank-raised with native specimens.

I will say that I've mixed tank-raised guppies with assorted collected inverts in my bog tank (stoneflies, caddisflies, snails, native plants) without any issues, but curious as to the possibility.