Do you have a HOB filter? If so check the filter media. I had some small flies (a little bigger than fruit flies) that were always around and in my 55g driving me crazy. After about a month of them being around I was doing some routine maint. and when I went to rinse the filters they were full of the tiny maggots. I didn't want to replace the filters but it was the only way to get rid of the flies. They haven't reappeared and it's been a year now.
green gnats in my aquarium?
- Thread starter liverleef
- Start date
I have a magnum 350 filter with water polisher. I'll change that out soon to try to get rid of the problem.
As for the larvae... They are like skinny worms.
I just found out that there are thousands, if not millions in my tank. This because I never looked closely until now. At first, I thought there were just tiny, tiny bubbles, but they're actually moving! yuck.
(I'm assuming) When these grow they get a bit longer and a bit more tan in color.
However, I see much less of the bigger/older ones. Instead of thousands maybe 30-50ish. Then the full grown gnatss around 20-40ish.
Also, one quick question about the filter. I actually have an extra brand new magnum 350... would it be ok if I just switched the filters completely? My tank is a sand tank so will I lose too much good bacteria by switching filters completely?
Thanks all.
As for the larvae... They are like skinny worms.
I just found out that there are thousands, if not millions in my tank. This because I never looked closely until now. At first, I thought there were just tiny, tiny bubbles, but they're actually moving! yuck.
(I'm assuming) When these grow they get a bit longer and a bit more tan in color.
However, I see much less of the bigger/older ones. Instead of thousands maybe 30-50ish. Then the full grown gnatss around 20-40ish.
Also, one quick question about the filter. I actually have an extra brand new magnum 350... would it be ok if I just switched the filters completely? My tank is a sand tank so will I lose too much good bacteria by switching filters completely?
Thanks all.
Don't just switch out the filters unless you take all the media from the current filter and put it into the Mag. Otherwise, you should run both filters for at least 2 weeks while the new filter is getting its media established.
The bugs sound like something I had a while back. I had a ton of floating plants (duckweed, water lettuce, and water sprite), and they would be all over the top of the plants. I didn't look all that closely at them because I assumed they were aphids because I had a problem with aphids on my hibiscus. I have since moved the tank to the new house and thinned out the plants a lot. I also had to give away the hibiscus because it was too big to keep. Now I haven't seen any bugs. I'm not completely sure what they are, but they didn't harm the fish any. The plants seemed fine too.
The bugs sound like something I had a while back. I had a ton of floating plants (duckweed, water lettuce, and water sprite), and they would be all over the top of the plants. I didn't look all that closely at them because I assumed they were aphids because I had a problem with aphids on my hibiscus. I have since moved the tank to the new house and thinned out the plants a lot. I also had to give away the hibiscus because it was too big to keep. Now I haven't seen any bugs. I'm not completely sure what they are, but they didn't harm the fish any. The plants seemed fine too.
It seems to me that if you run both filters you'll just end up getting the bugs in the other filter too. do you have another tank you can run the new filter in for a while?
maybe start doing 50% water changes every day till they disappear.
maybe start doing 50% water changes every day till they disappear.
Big mike - do you see the tiny little wormy larvae in your tank?
I don't have another tank so I can't start getting my new magnum filter cycled.
But I also agree with the others about running them both.. they will just catch all the larvae in it and i'll be in the same situation.
But I don't see the difference between installing a new filter vs. changing out/cleaning the filter. I'm running the micron water polisher with the blue foam filter filler sleeve.
I would do 50% water changes everyday but I feel that would be a bit much for my arowana to handle. I think i'll start doing 25% everyday and see where that goes.
I don't have another tank so I can't start getting my new magnum filter cycled.
But I also agree with the others about running them both.. they will just catch all the larvae in it and i'll be in the same situation.
But I don't see the difference between installing a new filter vs. changing out/cleaning the filter. I'm running the micron water polisher with the blue foam filter filler sleeve.
I would do 50% water changes everyday but I feel that would be a bit much for my arowana to handle. I think i'll start doing 25% everyday and see where that goes.
