Roaches

[NDsuperduty]

over the past few months I have lost several fish in my tank with little to explain it. I recently noticed that roaches have made their way into my tank. Primarily they seem to be hanging out in the bio ball area of my wet dry. Is it possible that they could be putting a toxin in the water? The way I see they are natural creatures and wouldn't think there body or waste would be any different than fish waste, but wanted to get others opinions.

[ptran]

Dam, roaches give me a goose bump. I think they probably brought toxin into your fish tank. Maybe they carry pest control substance (not enough to kill them but) that is enough to kill the fish.

[Austy16414]

Roaches in the tank, eh? I'd say you have bigger problems than your fish. Burn that MF down!!

[Austy16414]

On a more serious note, roaches are notorious carriers of pathogens. Not sure how that translates underwater, but I'd do all I could to get rid of them

[barrettsline]

Sorry to hear this man. This is a problem with aquarium equipment. They are attracted the water and the waste/extra food. They are also attracted to heat generated by canister filters. I actually just took a used eheim 2217 top off an found it littered with dead roaches. I have my house exterminated but that doesn't mean they will stay away. You just have to watch and make sure they are removed and your equipment stays clean.
You can also use the traps that don't allow insects to get out once they get in.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[BIG FISH]

if you dont have scaleless fish, malachite green will ruin their day. i had luck with this one a friends tank a few years back with some nasy little german roaches. i dont know or understand why roahces wuold be attrachtd to a fish tank? maybe uneaten food in the bioball area, something?

[barrettsline]

Roaches

if you dont have scaleless fish, malachite green will ruin their day. i had luck with this one a friends tank a few years back with some nasy little german roaches. i dont know or understand why roahces wuold be attrachtd to a fish tank? maybe uneaten food in the bioball area, something?

Very interesting. I'd be interested in knowing what the malachite green does to deter them. Big thing is to get them out of the wetdry.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[NDsuperduty]

Sorry, this might be important and I forgot to add. There are baby fish(under 1") in the tank that were born in the tank that seem perfectly fine. We have had 1 catfish and 4 or 5 Africans die, several were very large. One of the more recent was a 13" rostrata. Before I saw the roaches I figured it may be an aggression issue.

[ptran]

Sound like water quality issue. Have you tested the water parameters?

[barrettsline]

Could be age as well.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[NDsuperduty]

The tank was due for a good water change and 1 filter change but don't think it was to a level that would harm large healthy fish and not harm babies. It's a 200g tank that has a 2262 eheim and wet dry designed for 300g (or maybe more don't remember exact), so the water stays pretty stable most of the time. Guess if it's water quality that should be fixed. As for the roaches I need to find some traps that lock the roach in the trap. Unfortunately I think they found a home between the bottom glass panel and top piece of wood on stand. So no way to really get them out without tearing the tank down completely. And to be honest if that happens I may simply sell the tank.

[agamberutti]

Roaches are a *****. Had them in one of the stands. Very difficult to get rid of. They had to come out and use powder, had to cover all the tanks.

[Texasmom6]

DE Works Wonders!

Diatomacheous earth.

We had pest control service for years because I can't stand the darn roaches around here, but we've been using DE for at least ten years now and never have roaches.

DE is safe and harmless when used properly, but it can be dangerous if inhaled. (Think of a baby inhaling fine baby powder...) Get the food grade kind, if you can. Put on a mask first, then dip a small rag in the DE, and then gently pat it everywhere you think you might need it. I coat the corners of the pantry shelves, dab a bit under the shelves, put a little in the drawers in the kitchen, sprinkle a bit in the bathroom cabinets, and so on. I carefully apply some around my conure cages, because of the constant food and water supply, but inhalation would be very dangerous to them.

Now that I have my tank set up again after having been without one for years, this is a good reminder to use some in the aquarium area. I will put some in the drawers of the cabinet the tank sits on, and dab a bit on the back of the cabinet, etc.

Good luck! Roaches are nasty, horrible things; my husband is convinced that they will be the only thing that will survive a nuclear blast. :)