Becca
Members
Rachel said mosquito larvae eat baby fish. I'm sure it does, in part, depend on what kind of fish you're breeding and how small they are when they hatch.
Rachel said mosquito larvae eat baby fish. I'm sure it does, in part, depend on what kind of fish you're breeding and how small they are when they hatch.
Hmmm.....
So the vast majority of mosquito larvae are apparently filter feeders, and would be harmless. However, there are two versions of the parasite, one native to borneo, and the other native to the eastern US that are larger and have large enough larvae to prey on other larvae and even larger creatures such as tadpoles or fry
Psorophora ciliata
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psorophora_ciliata
So the vast majority of mosquito larvae are apparently filter feeders, and would be harmless. However, there are two versions of the parasite, one native to borneo, and the other native to the eastern US that are larger and have large enough larvae to prey on other larvae and even larger creatures such as tadpoles or fry
Psorophora ciliata
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psorophora_ciliata
Becca
Members
Oh, good lord, the stuff of nightmares!!!
These are the "giant mosquitoes" that are common around my parents' beach-shack in Prime Hook, DE. Their bites are downright PAINFUL and the bugs are uncommonly large. I can attest to their level of aggression, too. After sunset, they coat the front door just waiting for some poor fool to open it.
Localzoo
Board of Directors
mchambers
Former CCA member
I live in DC, but we have tons of raccoons in our neighborhood. I have also heard of herons in the neighborhood.
I bought some black mesh netting at Home Depot. (It was in the garden area, not far away from the outdoor tubs.) On mine, I cut it to the size of the tub, used self-starting screws and washers around most of the tub, and rare earth magnets for the rest, so that I can easily open the mesh. That may not work for your tub, given the thin rim.
Looks like you've got some duckweed in your tub, BTW.
I bought some black mesh netting at Home Depot. (It was in the garden area, not far away from the outdoor tubs.) On mine, I cut it to the size of the tub, used self-starting screws and washers around most of the tub, and rare earth magnets for the rest, so that I can easily open the mesh. That may not work for your tub, given the thin rim.
Looks like you've got some duckweed in your tub, BTW.
chriscoli
Administrator
I had a horrible problem with raccoons in the grow-out tubs outdoors in the old house. I'd zip-tie the plastic egg crate to the corners of the Rubbermaid bin, but they'd pry it apart anyhow. Once they pulled out a sponge filter I had in there protecting the intake of a pump.....they bit chunks out of the sponge filter and dragged them around the deck and left the pump intake to suck up the grow-outs. I was not happy. 
mchambers
Former CCA member
Now you're making me worried about whether they'll get through my solution!
mchambers
Former CCA member
Hmmm. One of the rocks I had around my tub has been moved. I assume that is a raccoon's work. And the rare earth magnets that I had siliconed to the tub aren't sticking, so I replaced them temporarily with clamps. Luckily, it looks like the pests weren't able to get the fish in the tub. I'll have to come up with a better way to secure the cover. Maybe more screws and washers.
Andrewtfw
Global Moderators
Not at all, but it is likely to overtake the surface unless your fish eat it.
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mchambers
Former CCA member
I was just kidding! I hate duckweed in my tanks, since it takes over and is almost impossible to eradicate.
I think if you keep a good flow in your tub, the duckweed won't take over.
I think if you keep a good flow in your tub, the duckweed won't take over.
b considine
a dude playing a dude disguised as another dude
Never had a racoon raid, that I know of. But I've got dogs, which may act as a deterrent.
I did find a half-drowned chipmunk two summers ago. I netted it out and left it on the patio. A while later, it had moved along.
Blaise
I did find a half-drowned chipmunk two summers ago. I netted it out and left it on the patio. A while later, it had moved along.
Blaise
Pat Kelly
CCA Member
I always have wondered about temp getting too warm in july?
chriscoli
Administrator
Well, my tubs are already waaaay too warm for fish so I haven't bothered to put any fish in them yet. Maybe next year when I get the yard further along.
I also got a bunch of Bowl Lotus seeds (dwarf lotus) to start just to see how they'd do. I've nicked the ends of the seeds and have them incubating in warm water (i.e. they're set on top of some of my warmer LED light fixtures). Hopefully a few will sprout.
On a side note, though, I did have some concerns about running an extension cord out to my pump. This became especially nerve wracking during some thunderstorm downpours a few weeks ago. Our gutters clogged from all of the maple seeds from our trees and they overflowed onto the deck. I could actually see water getting into the pump plug/extension cord connection even though I thought I had tucked it in a dry spot up under the deck joists.
So I got a SOCKiTBOX to try http://smile.amazon.com/SOCKiTBOX-M...UTF8&qid=1433084555&sr=8-1&keywords=sockitbox. So far, so good although it's not the prettiest looking thing (it reminds me of those rat bait stations you see behind restaurants).
What are you all using to solve this problem?
I also got a bunch of Bowl Lotus seeds (dwarf lotus) to start just to see how they'd do. I've nicked the ends of the seeds and have them incubating in warm water (i.e. they're set on top of some of my warmer LED light fixtures). Hopefully a few will sprout.
On a side note, though, I did have some concerns about running an extension cord out to my pump. This became especially nerve wracking during some thunderstorm downpours a few weeks ago. Our gutters clogged from all of the maple seeds from our trees and they overflowed onto the deck. I could actually see water getting into the pump plug/extension cord connection even though I thought I had tucked it in a dry spot up under the deck joists.
So I got a SOCKiTBOX to try http://smile.amazon.com/SOCKiTBOX-M...UTF8&qid=1433084555&sr=8-1&keywords=sockitbox. So far, so good although it's not the prettiest looking thing (it reminds me of those rat bait stations you see behind restaurants).
What are you all using to solve this problem?
Andrewtfw
Global Moderators
At home, my pond sits on my balcony. The outlet is sheltered by the above balcony.
At school, I am using one of those multi outlets that stake into the ground. The outlets are layered in two rows and angled up. A cover with a timer slips over the outlets, protecting them from rain.
Sent from my VS985 4G using MonsterAquariaNetwork App
At school, I am using one of those multi outlets that stake into the ground. The outlets are layered in two rows and angled up. A cover with a timer slips over the outlets, protecting them from rain.
Sent from my VS985 4G using MonsterAquariaNetwork App
mchambers
Former CCA member
I haven't yet worried about it, but was thinking of taking a rectangular carryout food container with a lid and cutting a hole in each end. The pump plugs into the extension cord under a plant, so it can't be seen.
mchambers
Former CCA member
Discovered this morning that a raccoon had gotten into my tub last night! Stupid raccoons!
The mesh cover of the tub was pushed down into the tub and the raccoon had knocked the output on the pump so that it drained all but 1 inch of the water out of the tub.
To my surprise, it looked like the fish were mostly still alive, perhaps because the raccoon could not reach through the mesh to grab them? I reoriented the pump output, added some dechlorinator, and used a water changing hose to refill the tub. Tonight, I'll have to come up with a more secure way to keep the mesh on the tub.
The mesh cover of the tub was pushed down into the tub and the raccoon had knocked the output on the pump so that it drained all but 1 inch of the water out of the tub.
To my surprise, it looked like the fish were mostly still alive, perhaps because the raccoon could not reach through the mesh to grab them? I reoriented the pump output, added some dechlorinator, and used a water changing hose to refill the tub. Tonight, I'll have to come up with a more secure way to keep the mesh on the tub.
chriscoli
Administrator
Ugh, that sucks! Glad that all were still alive, though! That's one heck of a way to do a waterchange!
