Guppies can and will eat mosquito larvae. Mosquito larvae are one of the favorite foods of a guppy as they are nutritious and healthy. Many aquarium owners actually grow mosquito larvae as a food source for their guppies. Raising mosquito larvae is a simple and free way to feed guppies.
I have owned guppies for most of my life, and not once did I stray from the conventional guppy diet recommended by my pet shop owner until the other day! I was visiting a friend, and I noticed her feeding her fish mosquito larvae. This got me thinking about whether my guppies would eat mosquito larvae!
Mosquito larvae can be a great addition to your guppy’s diet. Read on and see why guppies eat mosquito larvae, as well as learn how to breed some yourself so that your guppies can be happy and healthy!
Will Guppies Eat Mosquito Larvae?
Guppies will definitely eat mosquito larvae! Guppies absolutely love mosquito larvae and even mosquito eggs! They are considered one of their favorite foods.
Guppies can eat their weight in mosquito larvae in a day. If you are looking for a healthy food source for your guppies, then mosquito larvae are the way to go!
Additionally, people who have issues with mosquitos often introduce guppies into their outside ponds, which can help control the mosquito population.
Guppies aren’t the only fish that love mosquito larvae. Below is a list of other fish that will enjoy them just as much. If you have any of these other fish in your tank, then adding mosquito larvae will benefit them too!
Additional fish that eat mosquito larvae:
- Goldfish
- Koi
- Tetras
- Betta Fish
Why Are Mosquito Larvae Good For Your Guppies?
In general, mosquito larvae are rich in protein and other nutrients. Adding mosquito larvae into your fish’s diet is going to improve your guppy’s health tremendously.
It’s also important to know that adding variety into your guppy’s diet is a great way to increase their happiness, health, and appearance. If a guppy has a very all-rounded and nutritious diet, they are likely to display this in their coloring!
A benefit of adding mosquito larvae into your guppy’s food is that they are very easy to breed, so you can have a constant free source of food for your fish!
How To Breed Mosquito Larvae For Guppies
Now that you’ve seen the advantages of adding mosquito larvae into your guppy’s diet, I am going to explain how easy it can be to breed mosquito larvae for your guppies to enjoy!
Breeding Mosquito Larvae For Guppies: Step 1
Firstly, you need to find a medium to a large container that you can use to grow your mosquito larvae in. It’s essential that this container has not had any chemicals or paint inside it previously as it will not allow mosquito larvae to grow.
The ideal size is a 5-gallon bucket. However, look carefully at how many fish you need to feed and then decide for yourself whether you need less or more gallons!
Breeding Mosquito Larvae For Guppies: Step 2
The second step for breeding mosquito larvae is to fill your container with water. While this step sounds simple, you need to be very careful about what you put in your bucket; otherwise, the mosquito larvae may not grow.
There are three things you can fill your container with:
- Treated tap water
- Rainwater
- Natural water
Rainwater and water found naturally is a great idea. The reason is that within this water is a variety of nutrients that are necessary for the growth of mosquito larvae and will therefore promote healthy mosquito larvae for your guppies.
If you are using tap water, make sure to treat it beforehand so that the chlorine does not kill algae – the food source for mosquito larvae.
Breeding Mosquito Larvae For Guppies: Step 3
It’s essential that your container is not sitting in direct sunlight as this will make the water too hot for mosquito larvae to grow!
Keep your container in semi-shade, and your larvae will grow!
Breeding Mosquito Larvae For Guppies: Step 4
The last step is to wait for mosquitoes to lay their eggs in the container. This process can take some time, so be patient!
It is also a good idea to find out when the mosquito population is highest in your area. If you set up your container in these months of high mosquito population, then you are more likely to have success!
After two weeks of placing your container outside, take a close look to see if there are any brown eggs in the water. If not, consider moving your container to another position.
If there are eggs, after 24hrs they will hatch, and you will have a container filled with larvae!
How To Feed Mosquito Larvae To Guppies
In order to feed your guppies, you need to catch the mosquito larvae. If you used the above method to breed your own or are just sourcing some elsewhere, it is a good idea to catch them using a small net or eyedropper.
Mosquito larvae are very tiny creatures. You may need to move your container into the light to get a better view of the larvae before capturing them.
Due to their tiny size, using an eyedropper is ideal. However, if you would like to use a net, then make sure the holes are very small. Using a brine shrimp net is perfect for catching mosquito larvae!
Finally, drop the mosquito larvae into the tank as quickly as possible so that they do not die.
Tip: Make sure not to introduce the water from the container into your tank as this water is not treated and can affect the health of your tank.
Conclusion
In conclusion, guppies will eat mosquito larvae and will really enjoy them! Mosquito larvae can be a great food source for your guppies and make for a protein-rich diet.
Read through the four easy steps of breeding mosquito larvae so that your guppies can enjoy some delicious and healthy larvae!