Controlling mosquitos in outside turtle tubs?

[Ghazan]

I live in Socal and am hoping to keep a couple waterland tubs outside full time with an aquarium heater.

How do you guys maintain mosquito populations? I had some moving water and added some guppies but still had some activity. Not sure if it cooled down but now I added a mosquito dunk?

I rather not add fish so I don't have to worry about feeding them, filtration, water changes (I plan on doing full exchanged rather than partial), etc....Any other suggestions out there...

 

[enchilada]

more guppies will guarantee no mosquito at all.
you dont even need water heaters in SoCal unless you keep tropical species

 

[Yvonne G]

The mosquito abatement district will give you free mosquito fish that will eat the larvae to control mosquitos.

 

[Markw84]

The mosquito fish you get from the Mosquito Abatement (free) are much hardier and cold weather tolerant than any guppy you can buy at a pet/fish store. The guppies we buy there have been bred so they are quite different than the true "wild" mosquito Gambusia. A dozen true mosquito fish can become a hundred in a month or so, and easily survive the winter with no heat added. They will totally control mosquitos and with a few turtles in the tub, they will thrive off the leftover mess of the turtle feeding.

Heating an outdoor pond or tub is prohibitive to any extent. Water looses heat quickly and aquarium heaters are designed to only raise smaller volumes of water 5°-10° max above the temperature of the air surrounding the tank. in contact with the ground, ground temps will control the temperature of the water much more than a heater can. With circulating water for filtration, the heat loss is even greater with the air temperature above.

In a very general situation, it would take at least 500 watt heater of decent quality to keep 100 gallons to temperature in a 68° environment.

 

[harris]

52 yrs old and I still learn something new every day.

I was taught that mosquitos can only deposit eggs in still, standing water. I’ve always put a simple air stone or just the end of the air hose in the water of my outdoor ponds. Thus, keeping the top of the water moving, even slightly. One whisper air pump keeping 3 ponds moving. Now it’s sounding like my “still water” lesson was a myth?

 

[enchilada]

Currently I’m having both wild “mosquito guppies “ and fancy tropical guppies in my outdoor pond with no heater at all . I often catch and feed them to my turtles , but their population still seems double every month .
I also have some African cichlids in the pond. So far they handled 50s F no problem.

 

[TammyJ]

52 yrs old and I still learn something new every day.

I was taught that mosquitos can only deposit eggs in still, standing water. I’ve always put a simple air stone or just the end of the air hose in the water of my outdoor ponds. Thus, keeping the top of the water moving, even slightly. One whisper air pump keeping 3 ponds moving. Now it’s sounding like my “still water” lesson was a myth?

I also would like an answer to this!

 

[Yvonne G]

This is what my friend Google says about that: If it is possible keep the water flowing at all times. Mosquito larvae can only survive in stagnant water. Newly hatched mosquitoes must rest on the surface for a few minutes to let their wings dry, because of this they will not lay eggs in water that is constantly moving.

 

[Relic]

"the true "wild" mosquito Gambusia"

These guys are unbelievably hardy. I had a shallow tub of water lilies out in full sun, on concrete, with water temps hitting 100 degrees on hot August afternoons, and I had a couple dozen Gambusia in the tub to fend off mosquito larvae. They were never bothered by the hot water and thrived very well. All you need are a few...and a net a few months later to thin the herd.

 

[Ghazan]

Thanks for the info, will try to find some gambusia...

The mosquito larvae died down after I added a mosquito 'dunk' but the adult mosquitos were still hanging out on the inside of the tub and made me nervous... Mosquito dunks or pellets seems like another option too but only for larvae and I believe they are safe for chelonians