FlytrapCare Carnivorous Plant Forums

Hi guys! So in my country, Singapore, the cases of the ZIKA virus are increasing and i am really worried since the NEA officers are gonna start checkiing people's homes for mosquito larvae and a CP grower like me uses saucers to hold water for the CPs i am growing, which makes me really worried. The bladderworts I am using now to try and counter the mosquito larvae is working a little but too slow, can i use a small fish like a guppy or a tiny betta to kill the mosquito larvaes by leaving it in the saucers? I know about mosquito dunks but its quite expensive, 30 bucks and above. Does the fish in any way harm the plants? My friend said nutrients from the fish poop will kill the plants but im sure the bladder worts i have will absorb it right? Help will be appreciated!!! Thanksss!!!

Change your water more often and you won't have to worry about mosquitos.

Fish will add nitrogen and probably other things to the water. As long as you dont let the levels build up, it could work.

You've seen the thread on the other forum where a grower is doing it successfully so why not try his setup?

Ok, I changed my plans, i am not using fish. I am using shrimps, they excrete less than fish and i am sure the bladderworts can just absorb the nutrients from the poop, if not i'll add small floating plants.

Fish will often eat bladderworts, unfortunately. There is a specific species known as mosquitofish that are often used for mosquito control, however: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mosquitofish

I personally use U. gibba (which works very well once it has fully-colonized a body of water) and mosquito bits, which are basically just little pellets of mosquito dunks and easier to dose smaller bodies of water with.

My U.gibba hasn't colonized the entire saucer/tray yet. So maybe thats why its not so effective, I'll get some shrimps and test them out.

For the mosquito fish, I know about it and i actually wanted to get some but, the poop produces ammonia and it can hurt the plants

Fishes and shrimps will work, provided if your water is free of chlorine and has dissolved air in it. If not, it'll just die.