Bugs!

[kpptn]

I have little fruit fly looking bugs in my apartment. My apartment manager sent over a pest control guy and he clainms that they are coming from my aquarium. I am 99.9 percent that they are coming from the kitchen sink, but I just want a little reassurance. Is it possible for fruit flys to be breeding in my tank?

 

[seasalt101]

do you have any potted plants? they like houseplants or have fruit pits/peels in your garbage often?

 

[ice4ice]

I had them once before. Try pouring some bleach down all of your sink drains - including bathroom sink drains and shower drains. Do it for a week and it should do the trick. Bananas usually gets attracted by fruit flies too. Spray your garbage cans once or twice a week with Lysol everytime you empty it helps too.

 

[adroitmind]

I work for a company that manufactures pest control products. There is no way fruit flies would be coming from your tank.Fruit flies do not breed in water. If the underneath cabinet is filthy from spilled food that could become a breeding site for fruit flies. It is most likely your sink though. I would not recommend pouring bleach down your sink. Bleach kills beneficial bacteria that are breaking down the biological scum in your sink. I have seen cases (mostly commercial kitchens and food plants) where bleach was used to address the immediate problem and it did work. Soon however the flies came back because another layer of bio film built back up thicker over the old dead layer. This bio film is what is attracting the flies. Either clean the sink manually or go buy some kind of biological drain cleaner to boost the amount of bacteria digesting organic waste in your sink. I don't mean to be rude but small flies are attracted by decomposing biological matter, aka filth. Take some time to do a through cleaning of the apartment and address the drain issues and they will go away.

 

[stdreb27]

Originally Posted by kpptn
I have little fruit fly looking bugs in my apartment. My apartment manager sent over a pest control guy and he clainms that they are coming from my aquarium. I am 99.9 percent that they are coming from the kitchen sink, but I just want a little reassurance. Is it possible for fruit flys to be breeding in my tank?
Wow you have got to love apartments. clearly they don't like your fishtank.

 

[stumpyfish]

I've heard that pouring liquid fabric softener is the best thing to pour down your drains rather than bleach. I'm not sure what the story is behind it, but thats what I've been told in the past. Good luck to you, I get fruit flies in my apt alot because my girlfriend is a vegetarian and likes to leave banana peels and apple cores and wilting lettuce in the garbage, but I get rid of it at with the first fly I see.

 

[kpptn]

Well if I owned the place I would make sure that the sink and the pipes were clean. I do not have any fruit just lying around and I throw all trash out on a routine basis. The flys may be a different than a fruit fly, but the managment of my apartment told me that the flys are coming from my aquarium and after hatching they are looking for the closest water supply (the kitchen). I just don't understand why wouldn't they want to stay in the aquarium, which would be the closest water supply. Any Help? And Is the Liquid fabric softner a good remedy?

 

[stdreb27]

I still can't believe they told you that. I would recomend you go in there, and raise a little stink about them giving you the run around, tell them you are going to get a second opinion, and send them the bill. If they don't address the problem.