Ants

[RogerMcAllen]

So today I noticed one of my bettas going crazy attacking the side of the bowl. I looked closer, and noticed an ant. As the day went on I started seeing more, and I think I know where they are comming from out of my trim on the floor. I am fairly sure they are not actually my ants since I have no open food in my room and I live on the third floor. I was just wondering if anyone had any safe and inexpensive ways to combat them (nothing that would harm the fish if an ant happened to fall into the tank).

 

[QTOFFER]

Those sticky paper ant traps work great- even better if you bait them with a drop of honey. Pros: no poisons; Cons: really gross when they're covered with ants.

I used to get ants every spring in my old apartment. The invasion will subside as soon as the swarm finds a nice spot in the ground to settle down.

 

[Meredith]

If you can find the hole, just use a little caulking to plug it up.

 

[fishfreek]

There are many types of traps you an get that just sit on the floor. Some IMO work better than others. The ones that have a sticky liquid that the ants eat and then die from seem to work best.

 

[Fishyfanatic]

Living in an apt on the first floor has caused me to have many ants. It seems like as soon as it rains or the weather gets nice, here they all come. My landlord REFUSES to fix the door. It has a gap all the way around it so they just come on in whenever they want. Two years ago it was so bad that they were in the boxes of food in the cabinets. I had to throw away every piece of food in the house. To get rid of them we tried everything, even those sticky things. The Combat Houses don't work. The sticky things didn't work either. They got smart enough to walk around them, instead of across them. Finally I went to Lowe's and got ant spray and walked the outside of the house, spraying every little spot. Since you live on the third floor, you should try spraying the parameters of the house on the inside. There are many chemicals out there that are safe if they are eaten by animals. But, while spraying, cover your tank until the mist subsides. We got a chemical in a blue jug and it didn't stain the carpet, walls, tile, or counter tops. In fact, it completly disapeared and we never had ants again until I mopped the floor.

 

[TankGirl]

I like the product Terro - it is a boric acid compound (you could also sprinkle plain old borax powder around your baseboards) and they eat it or otherwise ingest it and it destroys their exoskeleton. Terro always works for me, as when it rains big here the ants are driven in on occasion. Nontoxic and they ants bring it back to the nest, either sticking to their legs or as food for the colony.

 

[Blucat]

The ants keep coming up to my tank cause they are attracted to the sealant stuff....

 

[Mazdaman]

thats probably not why they all go to the same place. Ants leave a "path" when they go somewhere. The first ant to come in is considered a "scout". He's just out looking for a food source. The problem with just "removing" the ant is that when he doesnt return another scout will take up his "path" and follow it becoming the new scout. I learned a little trick from an old wise man once. Kill the ant first. Then take a clothe with some cleaning solution and wipe down his "track" very well. If you can, clean it right to that little spot they are getting in. Even better if you can clean the other side too. Once cleaned just seal their entrance off. If you can't clean "the other side" you may still see some ants coming in the room, watch and see if they go right to your tank again though.