Help, Fumigation Problem

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Shikartha

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Dec 22, 2006
35
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San Diego
My parents have decided to fumigate the house because of our growing termite problem, but I don't know what to do with my fish while that is going on. I'm assuming the worst case scenario, that they're going to be tenting the house for a couple days, but I'm not too sure yet. I have a 60 gallon tank with 13 female bettas, 8 Beckford's pencilfish, 3 endlers, 3 pygmy rasboras, and 6 corys, and a multitude of live plants; a 5 gallon tank with 2 pygmy corys and 3 cherry barbs; and a 2.5 gallon with one male betta and some live plants.
What should I do with them all during the fumigating?
 
I second that question. I've had a growing roach problem, and I'd like to bomb the house. Any way I can seal the tank for about six hours and get it done? If not, what's the decontamanation procedure for afterwards? Most insecticides use rotenone, harmless to warm bloods, but lethal to bugs and fish.
 
I had parts of my basement treated with spray fumigation to eliminate carpinter ant problem, some areas directly over the tank. This type of fumigation does not use vapor (bombing) and it was successful aginst insect and no fish loss. I covered my tanks with pastic sheets, available at hardware stores sold as vapor barier for home construction.

Some thoughts:
I believe Fumigation is a more severe effect and it might enter the tank through normal gas exchange at water surface or sumps. Maybe you could get the largest sized plastic trash bags available, shake them out to get bag "full" of clean air, then duct-tape 'em around top of aquarium and sump. I would turn off the lights and aeration first. Maybe there would be enough sealed, fresh air to get the tank through the airbone stage of the bomb. Then remove bags as soon as possible, maybe when you are allowed back into the house.
 
1. Wash the tank out really good when you get back, and then get those really cool fish that you always wanted.

or

2. Put the fish in plastic bins (storage totes) and take them with you. Take the filters with to keep the bacteria alive and healthy. Tape up the tank to keep the pesticide out. Do a huge water change before adding your fish back to the aquarium.
 
i have bombed for flees before in a couple other rental properties i've had in past. as directed by the accual product, i turned off my filters and such, and coverd my tanks with sheets. then bombed the house. the product also stated that all dogs and cats would have to be removed from the house. also said i could re-enter the home after couple hours. i just wated for a few hours, nad went back in. onpened all the windows,and doors for a few mins. then turned back on my tanks. didn't have any problems, or fish loss. :D
 
I have bombed my house a couple times and I turned filters off and wrapped tanks in sheets. I took my dogs and cats to the park for a few hrs. All fish lived no problem, but tenting a house is a whole nother issue.
 
You can cover the tank and turn off the pumps and filtration for flea bombs but multiday fumigation? If moving the set up is not an option grab some buil;ders plastic sheeting and frame the tank, using 1x4s as form, then use a 4"-6" flexi vent like for dryers to go out a window to another framed plastic box containing a blower fan (going in) and a same sized vent coming out without the fan, as long as the air that your pumps and filters are exposed to is flowing from outside the tent it should work.
 
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