Pond Boss Forums AERATION Systems questions Aeration to prevent mosquitoes?

Does aeration of pond and more specifically stagnant ponds help to prevent mosquitoes from growing in the pond? It seems like aeration would provide two things that would prevent mosquitoes from hatching in a pond: 1. Moving water 2. A healthier ecosystem. I never see aeration equipment advertised for this purpose. With concerns over West Nile, it seems that it is a good question.

FA - 1. I think aerators do not provide enough moving water currents to deter mosquito larvae from developing or hatching unless it is a very small pond(pool) with a very strong aerator. There are usually a least a few calm and shoreline water areas for mosquitos to grow. Secondly, why do you think or what leads you to believe that mosquitos will not develop, grow and emerge in a healthy ecosystem?

Bill,

Don't you think fish themselves would be more of a deterent to mosquito numbers than aeration?

The soil on and around our farm has a LOT of clay which, combined with not much slope, gives us standing pools of surface water for 9 or 10 months during an average year. We have a lot of mosquitos, particularly in the woods at the back of the property, where there is a natural, permanant sump about 75 yards west of us that breeds them all Summer long.

Where is the one location on the farm where the bugs are noticeably fewer - at the pond. It's not just mosquitos, it seems that all the annoying insects (flys, deerflys, horseflys, etc.) are scarcer there, by an order of magnitude or more. I think this has to be because the fish are eating them, although maybe they are getting help from other pond-based insectivores (frogs, dragonflys, ?).

I got that question from an apartment manager who has a retaining pond that drains the parking areas. The pond is a mess and there have been residents who ask about mosquitoes breeding in the pond. Because the pond is shallow and has an inconsistent depth it probably wouldn't support any fish population.

It might support fathead minnows at least seasonally that will feed on the larvae. It probably wouldn't take much from a bait store or wholesale suppler to get them started.

I would go with the fat head minnows too. They are slso sometimes known as mosquito fish since they have such a good appetite for eating the larva.

Fish are much better at controling mosquito larvae than aeration.

Common name of mosquito fish should be reserved for Gambusia affinis not fathead minnows; even though the two may sometimes get confused.

I too would try fish for mosquito control in the retaining pond at the apartments. Some of the larger pet shops have rosey reds (type of fathead minnow) or goldfish; both cheap, readily available, and sold as feeder fish.. I would try rosey reds first before goldfish. Use goldfish only if rosey reds die during winter. High numbers of breeding goldfish could make the retention pond more turbid due to bottom foraging for food when food is in short supply. Goldfish and rosey reds are pretty tolerant of adverse winter condtions and may survive. They are fairly cheap and apt manager may have to stock a hundred or so each spring if the pond winter kills each year. Aeration could help fish survival in the open water seasons esp during July Aug.

Bill:

I remember seeing info somewhere that in Ohio the state (maybe local governments?) places Gambusia in drainage ditches to prevent mosquitos. Do you recall seeing anything about this?

Lots of public agencies in Ohio such as metro parks use mosquito fish (Gambusia) for mosquito control in temporary ponds and freeze out ponds. Mosquito fish are prolific and are well adapted for finding catching and eating mosquito larvae.

The big problem I see with mosquito fish is they are also well adapted at eating newborn fish fry which for a while are the same size as mosquito larvae. Protein is protein to these fish.