Any experience with boxelder bugs and fish tanks?

[redmare]

My house has a ton of boxelder bugs in it (southern Ontario). Not as bad as some places I've seen, but enough to be annoying. I've found them floating in my tanks with more gaps in the lids a few times. I was wondering if a- they were harmful to fish or tanks, and b- would my oscar like to eat them?

 

[tlindsey]

My house has a ton of boxelder bugs in it (southern Ontario). Not as bad as some places I've seen, but enough to be annoying. I've found them floating in my tanks with more gaps in the lids a few times. I was wondering if a- they were harmful to fish or tanks, and b- would my oscar like to eat them?

I personally never heard of the boxelder bug until now. Did a little research on Google and although not poisonous they may be distasteful to the Oscar lol.

 

[twentyleagues]

I personally never heard of the boxelder bug until now. Did a little research on Google and although not poisonous they may be distasteful to the Oscar lol.

Yup fish don't like them. I had some issues with them at my previous house. I have a couple mantids in my yard at the new house (at least last year I did) I had box elder bugs too. Not the huge amounts I had at the last house but still plentiful. Anyway back to the mantids they won't touch the box elder bugs either. I think red means don't eat me or I taste bad. I noticed spiders cut the web where they are trapped too. Don't know how scientific that all is.

 

[tlindsey]

Yup fish don't like them. I had some issues with them at my previous house. I have a couple mantids in my yard at the new house (at least last year I did) I had box elder bugs too. Not the huge amounts I had at the last house but still plentiful. Anyway back to the mantids they won't touch the box elder bugs either. I think red means don't eat me or I taste bad. I noticed spiders cut the web where they are trapped too. Don't know how scientific that all is.

Lol probably just as bad as the Stink bugs here.

 

[redmare]

Thanks guys! I'll probably give it a try in case she does wanna eat them!

 

[twentyleagues]

Lol probably just as bad as the Stink bugs here.

Oh we have those too! Last year they were really bad.

 

[twentyleagues]

Thanks guys! I'll probably give it a try in case she does wanna eat them!

My polys that cruise the surface when I'm near wouldn't eat them, and they will eat crickets from the surface.

 

[redmare]

update- she LOVES them! I put one in and wow.. she's a great eater and I've still never seen anything get gobbled so fast! I found a second to see if it was a fluke and she ate it even more enthusiastically. Sounds like a win-win to me!