North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

[Lucky Pittman <lucky.pittman@murraystate.edu>]

At 11:37 AM 05/06/2002 -0400, Tom wrote:
> Pet fish...  Hmmmm...  That would work in the 55 gallon barrels as they
> are dark, and deep, but would they survive in a full sun wading pool?

I don't know...the wading pool might get too hot for them in full sun.


> Our nights are too cool in May for pet store guppies.  I also wonder if I
> would have to aerate the tanks, and if the PH is too acid in rainwater.
I'd thought your temps might be a bit cool, yet.  Don't really think 
aeration would be necessary, and doubt that the pH would be a significant 
problem.


> So if the things could survive without heat, without aeration, and take
> full sun they might work.
> Good thought, river minnows are free.
 Yeah, if you can toss a minnow trap into the local creek/river, without 
being in violation of fish & wildlife regs, you might come up with some 
mosquito predators at no cost.
I don't know if goldfish eat mosquito larvae or not - you can buy 'feeder' 
goldfish for almost nothing, and they may be more tolerant of temperature 
extremes than guppies.

For more info on Gambusis affinis, the native mosquito-eating fish, check 
out this webpage:

http://www.snowcrest.net/mosquito/fish.html





> Later,
> Tom
>
> --
> Southwest Ontario
> Canada Hardiness Zone 6a
> (similar to US zone 5)
>
> On Mon, 6 May 2002, Lucky Pittman wrote:
>
> > At 10:08 AM 05/06/2002 -0400, you wrote:
> > >I can put a lid on the barrels, but is there something you can put in the
> > >water to prevent mosquito breeding in something large like a wading pool?
> >
> > Tom,
> > How about getting some 'mosquito fish'?  There are North American native
> > species of Gambusia minnows, which really are nothing more than a hardier
> > variety of the ubiquitous pet shop guppies.  If you don't have a ready
> > source of the native species, perhaps you could just go to the local pet
> > store and purchase some guppies.
> > Gambusia minnows love to eat mosquito larvae, and you wouldn't have to
> > worry about any potential toxins, etc. that might harm your plants - and
> > the ammonia from fishes' wastes would be of perhaps a slight benefit for
> > any plants you used the water on.
> >
> > Lucky Pittman
> > USDA Zone 6
> > Hopkinsville, KY
> >
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Lucky Pittman
USDA Zone 6
Hopkinsville, KY

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