Fungus Gnats

Questions about unexpected problems.
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anniehorsekrab
Zoea I
Zoea I
Posts: 150
Joined: 29 May 2009, 06:18
Gender: Female
Hermit crabs: 6
Total gallons: 15
Total tanks: 2

Fungus Gnats

Post by anniehorsekrab »

While I was crab-sitting my friend Caylie's hermit crabs, she came to pick them up, and she discovered that there were tiny bugs in the tank! They didn't look like mites, but Caylie started totally freaking out and crying and saying "They're gonna dies! They're all gonna die!" We cleared the tank of all hermit crabs and dumped the coco-fibre. Then I went with Caylie to buy a new 20 gallon tank. We went back to her house to set it up and I had a playdate over there. My mom looked it up online and discovered that what we were seeing were most likely something like Mold Gnats or Fungus Gnats or something. She also printed out a sheet on how to make a trap for them. In a way I feel like this was my fault, since I was the one looking after her hermit crabs, but I also feel that it WASN'T my fault because I checked the tank every single day and not once did I ever find a single gnat. They must have just hatched that day or something. Caylie said she read your article about bathing the hermies after a pest invasion, so she's going to do that. Is there anything else we should do? I checked MY tank for gnats, but found none.
~Annie

(and Mr. Krabs, Your Shyness, Scooter, Mr. Krabs Jr, Zipper, and Beechie of course!)
CrabbyJo
Coenobita
Coenobita
Posts: 1849
Joined: 21 Jan 2009, 13:31
Gender: Female
Hermit crabs: 7
Total gallons: 85
Total tanks: 4
Location: Alaska

Re: Fungus Gnats

Post by CrabbyJo »

Annie,
It wasn't your fault, these things happen. :) I do hope she threw out the old substrate and washed the tank and decorations thoroughly. If she uses Eco Earth, she should expand it with ocean salt water, I think the salt will help deter the pests as well as any mold that may try to grow.
6 hermit crabs - 3 PPs and 3 Equadorians
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User avatar
anniehorsekrab
Zoea I
Zoea I
Posts: 150
Joined: 29 May 2009, 06:18
Gender: Female
Hermit crabs: 6
Total gallons: 15
Total tanks: 2

Re: Fungus Gnats

Post by anniehorsekrab »

Thank you CrabbyJo. You're the best! :P
~Annie

(and Mr. Krabs, Your Shyness, Scooter, Mr. Krabs Jr, Zipper, and Beechie of course!)
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