[FREE] Pond fish for mosquito control, from Shelby County!

I just found out about this... a service provided by Shelby County to fight mosquitos (vile disease vectors):
http://www.shelbycountytn.gov/FirstPortal/dotShowDoc/Government/CountyServices/HealthServices/EnvironmentalHealth/Gambusia_Affins.htm

Call ahead to verify hours, etc... but you apparently just bring a ziplock bag and they'll supply you with some Gambusia affinis, Mosquito Fish, which are a livebearer, similar to guppies or platties for your outdoor pond to help fight area mosquitos.

This species (availble in albino and black through private breeders) has a preference for eating eggs of other fish if the eggs are small enough. I believe the source article was in an old FAMA magazine. Approximately half of it's food source is robbing nests. Red eared sunfish are a good alternative as they redily feed on mosquito larvae which some fish do not seem to prefer. The gambusia provide another food source for small game fish though so, it may be a trade off. When deprived of other foods, they ate mosquito larvae, but do not prefer it as their food source. Some debate whether gambusia reduce numbers of game fish in a pond by reducing egg clutches. Just a thought remembered from the dusty cobwebs of my failing memory.

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repfarm

"a good name is better than riches"
Solomon - Book of Proverbs ch 22 line 1