View Full Version : Ants in a fish tank?
melkreach
01-30-2009, 09:44
Help!!!!! My little 5gal fish tank is infested with ants. They are living in the filter unit and taking over my office (and visiting my bosses office and the lab next door). How do I get rid of them?:confused:
robert phillips
01-30-2009, 09:54
Cinnamon is a known repellent. Pyrethrins(essence of chrysanthemums) is in most mild pesticides. I have some that you mix 19x1 with water. Kills fruit flies on contact and regular flies after 10 seconds. Good luck. Stay organic if you can.
jrasmusson
01-30-2009, 09:54
Purchase one of these!... (kinda spendy.. but will get the job done PLUS staying away from chemicals and all)
I have 1 couple year old, captive born bottle raised Tamandu for $8000. Shipping is $250, or delivery may possibly be arranged (fuel and expenses covered).
www.kensexotics.com
Oh.. Picture...
http://i301.photobucket.com/albums/nn63/SN1P3R_RAZ/tamandua.jpg
robert phillips
01-30-2009, 10:00
I was drinking my coffee when i clicked on this thread to say I have to now clean my screen is an understatement! Great post!!
Horned Lizard would work too. Not as cute or cuddly as the Tamanuda though. :rolleyes:
How the heck did that happen? I'd say find out who in your building is doing an "ant study" and march them downstairs, hand them a pair of tweezers and tell them to get crackin'. ;)
I have no idea how one gets ants out of a fish tank...that's a new one for me!
Oh.. Picture...
http://i301.photobucket.com/albums/nn63/SN1P3R_RAZ/tamandua.jpg
Oh crap... that is one of the cutest things I have ever seen! I might put up with ants for one of those guys...
jrasmusson
01-30-2009, 10:39
Oh crap... that is one of the cutest things I have ever seen! I might put up with ants for one of those guys...
Well.. Hes just a 3 month old baby... This is all "growed" up.. Still kinda cute tho!
http://i301.photobucket.com/albums/nn63/SN1P3R_RAZ/tamandua_49.jpg
Well.. Hes just a 3 month old baby... This is all "growed" up.. Still kinda cute tho!
http://i301.photobucket.com/albums/nn63/SN1P3R_RAZ/tamandua.jpg
umm....that's the exact same picture. :p
You have one of these jr? :eek:
melkreach
01-30-2009, 10:41
I agree, cutest thing I have ever seen. I don't think the pet policy here at work addresses exotics, I think it would make a great office pet!
Thanks for the tips, Robert. I gotta do something, I feel like they are crawling all over me, icky!!!
Well.. Hes just a 3 month old baby... This is all "growed" up.. Still kinda cute tho!
Oh, that is STILL way cute :D How trainable are they? I mean I can SEE it sitting on the computer, but... ya know.... :)
Just put some chocolate syrup over them and put them in a bowl on your desk. There is always a candy snitcher in every office. :p
jrasmusson
01-30-2009, 11:17
You have one of these jr? :eek:
Fixed the picture...
And.. No.... An anteater just came to mind to deal with "ant problems".... LOL:p
Aren't Tamanduas nocturnal? I seem to recall one in the night section at Woodland Park Zoo?
Very cute critter though. I wonder how messy they are?
And I always gotta ask with critters like that. . . Heyyyy, why the long face?":D
jrasmusson
01-30-2009, 11:52
Heyyyy, why the long face?":D
HAHAHHAHA... No kidding!
robert phillips
01-30-2009, 11:58
2501
Toxoes Jaculator(trix)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fhBZ40jIo4Q
These guys are more that happy to help from the aquarium.
2503
2502
2504
These guys want to help from the surface.
jrasmusson
01-30-2009, 12:19
Why's it called an Archer Fish???
When my kids do that in the tub.. its not called "archery"
I think it shoulda been called a "Spitting Fish".... :D
robert phillips
01-30-2009, 12:26
Why's it called an Archer Fish???
When my kids do that in the tub.. its not called "archery"
I think it shoulda been called a "Spitting Fish".... :D
You must have kids with cast iron stomaches, putting dirty bath water in their mouths(shiver). Did you check out the you tube they are very accurate. Robin Hood would be proud. I checked out several other you tube posts that ended up being more impressive.
oh come on, are you saying you never drank bath water as a kid, Robert?
robert phillips
01-30-2009, 14:46
I pretty much don't remember anything before Hawii(4.5-5yrs old). I remember all the Geckos, the Marlin, and my huge Shepard. Sorry bath times not in the brain bucket.
melkreach
01-31-2009, 20:42
I meet one at the zoo today!!! The night house has a pair and the girl is super sweet.
Ah, I was right about one in the Night exhibit!!! They are super cute!
Whats the news on the ants though, Mel?
Help!!!!! My little 5gal fish tank is infested with ants. They are living in the filter unit and taking over my office (and visiting my bosses office and the lab next door). How do I get rid of them?:confused:
What kind of ants?
melkreach
02-01-2009, 09:27
The tiny kind!? Seriously, I am not sure. They are smaller than the black ant that eats your spilled ice cream or soda. Turns out the whole floor has them, they just found a convenient place to live. I was just worried about poisoning the fish with pesticide. I took out the filter unit for about 4 hours and most of the ants left (or fell in the water).
That doesn't really answer the question.
If you grab one (carefully) and put him on your counter ... does it run around with it's abdomen up in the air??
melkreach
02-01-2009, 11:33
No, abdomen on the counter. They have longer than usual antena, too.
No, abdomen on the counter. They have longer than usual antena, too.
Couldn't tell exactly what you are saying ... of course they have an abdomen but they don't raise it and flee when riled up? The antenna is never a way to tell ants ... could you post a pic of a dead one, a macro pic?
Mel, I brought my camera in today. I'll come by later when I have a break in the study and see if I can get a good pic
Mel, I brought my camera in today. I'll come by later when I have a break in the study and see if I can get a good pic
Aimee if you get a chance to get a pic ... you should put a ruler down that shows cm or inches, so that I can see the approximate size.
Oh also Mel, are the ants polymorphic or monomorphic? If they are polymorphic grab the largest one and photograph it.
melkreach
02-02-2009, 11:25
Thats cool, it would be nice to know what kind they are. I had to take the tank home today (say that fast 10 times), so someone (bitter officemates) will have to find someother way to blame me for the building being infested with ants (but I'm not bitter).
robert phillips
02-02-2009, 11:49
If you have carpet sprinkle cinnamon along the perimeter if hard surface a light dusting across their trail and out 4' each way perpendicular will block their path, they may redirect later though. Ants are very ambitious and need to have the nest irraticated. Have you tried breeding grasshoppers into the nest, they seem to be lazy and just want to play the fiddle all day according to Disney!!!!
melkreach
02-02-2009, 12:02
There is very little carpet in the building. They have been a problem off and on for months, facilities comes to spray pesticides when people complain.
Thats cool, it would be nice to know what kind they are. I had to take the tank home today (say that fast 10 times), so someone (bitter officemates) will have to find someother way to blame me for the building being infested with ants (but I'm not bitter).
I hate your officemates. I think their stinkin' ants infested your lovely tank, not viceversa.
......Have you tried breeding grasshoppers into the nest, they seem to be lazy and just want to play the fiddle all day according to Disney!!!!
They spend quite a lot of their time wishing on stars too.
Oh, wait, that's not grasshoppers, it's crickets.
I didn't get a photo before Mel had to take the tank home. however, they looked to me just like the little sugar ants we had a few years ago in the kitchen. very small, both red and black if you look closely.
yeah...I'm glad they haven't infested our lab around the corner. I don't like pesticides either
robert phillips
02-04-2009, 11:36
I'm dieing to know did you guys try my organic method with the cinnamon. It works so good at my mothers house and now mine. They're both mobiles so there are plenty of infiltration sites. We tried spray foam several years in a row and I think to them it's just more challenging to get the sugar. Since we started using the cinnamon we don't have many problems with them. We wait till they show up, spread a 3' wide boundary around the house 24 hours later no ants. I know in your case it's hard to surround the area. Try it though the least that will happen is the area smells nice for a week.
melkreach
02-04-2009, 14:27
I didn't try the cinnamon:-( I unplugged and removed the filter unit for 4-5 hours. Most of the ants abandoned ship and drowned (but became food for the snails). I also put tape around the bottom of the tank and on the cords so the ants got stuck as they tried to get to the filter. There are a few hanging around the office but it does not appear that I have taken any home with me. I will try the cinnamon method if they come back, it sounds like a much better solution than chemicals (especially for my office mate that is recovering from cancer).
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