ANTS! How do i get rid of them?!

[ado124]

I just noticed a bunch of ants all over one of my tanks. They appear to be eating the algae that's growing on the lids.

Anyways, I could just go to the store and get some ant killer but i dont want to run the risk of having a poisoned ant fall into my tank. anyone have any experience with this? what can i use? what's safe? Thanks!

 

[Gruff Master]

Never experienced this with my tanks. The best thing to do is find the source of the ants and treat that area. Seal their entrance to your house. Clean the lid of your tank too. Check where you keep your fish food too. If they're on the lid then they're probably also trying to get into the fish food. Stay away from any chemicals near your tank though.

 

[Pandamania]

Are you sure they are eating algae? Is it extremely dry outside of your house? My sister lived in Vegas for a long time, and noticed ants coming into her house to find water.

 

[ado124]

Never experienced this with my tanks. The best thing to do is find the source of the ants and treat that area. Seal their entrance to your house. Clean the lid of your tank too. Check where you keep your fish food too. If they're on the lid then they're probably also trying to get into the fish food. Stay away from any chemicals near your tank though.

If i just seal their entrance,I feel like they'd find another way in and i'll be back to square one...

I keep my fish food in empty water bottles with lids. they're kept under the tank. no ants there. only things above my tank are the lids, lights, and those vine plants (brain fart, can't think of the name)

Are you sure they are eating algae? Is it extremely dry outside of your house? My sister lived in Vegas for a long time, and noticed ants coming into her house to find water.

It just rained a lot over here and I think the rain might have driven them indoors. Happens a lot. I'm just afraid they're making themselves at home now....


I might try treating the area where they're getting in with chems that kill fast so they don't get a chance to get to the tank lids.

 

[Pandamania]

Ants hate cinnamon, and normally won't 'climb' over/on it. Otherwise if you don't have any pets, or small children, or forgetful ppl, living in your house - you can use "TERRO" ant killer. Works extremely well. You put a few drops on a thick piece of cardboard and put it where YOU or any one/thing will not come into contact with it. It's extremely poisonous though, so has to be used very carefully, and where rubber gloves when placing it, and then when removing it too. GL

 

[ado124]

Ants hate cinnamon, and normally won't 'climb' over/on it. Otherwise if you don't have any pets, or small children, or forgetful ppl, living in your house - you can use "TERRO" ant killer. Works extremely well. You put a few drops on a thick piece of cardboard and put it where YOU or any one/thing will not come into contact with it. It's extremely poisonous though, so has to be used very carefully, and where rubber gloves when placing it, and then when removing it too. GL

not feelin the terro for some reason.....

might try the cinnamon. might make the massivore smell go away too.

 

[Crispy]

archerfish maybe? lol, like was said above, look for the source.

 

[Dullamite]

I had this problem for a while.....the way I got rid of the ants from around my tank, was the vaccume cleaner. I vaccumed up hundreds of ants everytime I saw them, and eventually there were none left. I live in an old house and just about everybody in my neighborhood battles those little black ants. My advice would be to break out the hoover, and suck 'em up! It's easy and clean, and you don't have to worry about contaminating your tanks with anything. Good luck!

 

[Natalie]

Look all around your stand to see where they're climbing up the stand. Then trace that path down to the floor. That's where you need to treat, right in their path.

I had an ant problem in Alabama. The usual remedies (cinnamon, baits, etc.) didn't work. I discovered a really good natural bait for them, but you need to keep it out of reach of pets.

Mix 4 parts sugar and 1 part borax (from the laundry section of the grocery). Take about a teaspoon of that mixture and add enough water until it's the consistency of syrup. Place it right in the ant path... either on small pieces of cut-up paper plate or something like that. I swear, it's the only thing that works, other than having an exterminator get out the heavy-duty chemicals.

 

[Chicklette]

I know this is strange but I have a true phobia of ants, lol. Anyway you can get this sticky stuff, it's a liquid and put it in a dish and the ants are attracted to it, they take it back to the other ants and it kills them. That is the safest way. Oh I just can't stand ants. lol