Aaaaaaah! Knats!

[Shane87]

I have a QT tank in my room and I have just spent the last hour splitting probably over 100 knats, only thing I can think of is the tank attracted them, anyone else experienced this?

 

[Borderlesscott]

Some gnats use water to lay there eggs in, check that they are not using one of your tanks. They require very little water to lay eggs in, so it could also be a sign you have a water leak somewhere and a small pool has formed which they are using.

 

[Shane87]

I know they do that's what made me think maybe it was the tank, and there is defiantly no leaks but the tank has an open to because I brought a good HOB filter for it and the lid wouldn't fit with it there lol do you think this could be the problem? The defiantly seem to be gathering around my room and not down stairs by my main tank.

 

[Borderlesscott]

I'm a pest controller by trade in the UK, we tend to get them this time year and have various names for them, filter flies, bar flies. It's possible you have had a few lay eggs in your tank and what your seeing is a hatch, as they tend to hatch around the same time this could be why you have got so many. Check the tank for larve around or just below the surface, it's unusual to find a group gathering to lay eggs, far more usual to find them in large number close to where they have hatced.

Are they slow moving small flies that just seem to float around in the air?

 

[Shane87]

Wow ok I have been keeping a very close eye on the tank and doing daily water changes and I have never seen any larvae and also the tank has only been set up the last week, do they hatch that fast? And know they look normal size compared to the ones I see fishing, and no they are quite agile, I'm no expert but I wouldn't say they had just learnt to fly lol

 

[Borderlesscott]

That might be to quick for them to emerge, usually around a week to 10 days - but water temperature and external heat comes into play, so in a perfect setting like an aquarium it might be possible. Whatever you do don't spray fly killer anywhere near the tank, if even a small amount gets in there it's game over - the amount of extra work I have to put in to treating a house with an aquarium you wouldn't believe, insecticide and fish do not mix.

 

[Shane87]

I will have a proper look in the morning just to make sure I haven't missed anything going on and I'm to scared to even spray deodorant in my room since its been in there lol thanks for all of your help.

 

[Borderlesscott]

Check in below the tank stand, or the usual for me this time of year is a blocked gutter outside a window - could be attracted to the aquarium light and a water source.

 

[Shane87]

Ok I will double check tomorrow thanks

 

[bettaowner]

How big is the tank?If you want biological control, gouramis are your best option.

 

[Shane87]

Huh? Lol the tank is fine

 

[Shane87]

Huh? The tank is fine, it's the bugs it's attracting are the problem lol and it's only a QT tank so I don't want to add fish.