I had this problem in my outdoor pond a few years ago. I tried to increase surface agitation, and this helped some, but didn't completely resolve the problem. If your pond if large enough, you will likely have some areas of stagnant water on the surface no matter what you do. Certainly if you have any pond plants, there will most likely be areas of stagnant water in and around those. I started using a product called mosquito dunks and this fixed my mosquito problem. The active ingredient is a bacteria, not a chemical, and I have used this product for the past 3 summers with no ill effect on my fish. http://www.amazon.com/Mosquito-Dunks-Safely-Larvae-Standing/dp/B0002568YA
Outdoor pond, Mosquito problems?
- Thread starter nmadsen4
- Start date
[FONT="]Actually, there is quite alot of water in the desert considering the amount of artificial irrigation that is in abundance in Arizona, otherwise he wouldn't have posted this concern now would he? You failed to take into account the human\water ratio that exists as opposed to the nature\water ratio that NATURALLY exists...KAWAMIKIE;4133687; said:
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nmadsen4;4134028; said:
bats eat mosquitos by the thousands... google "bat house" and you'll find dozens of sites with information on bats and how to construct a bat house.
I would also consider adding a few species of surface dwellign live breeders such as Guppies and Mollies. These will help eat the larva... as well as supply food for your Aro...
Aren't Aro's notorious jumpers?
Will this pond be covered?
I think I remember seeing old Natgeo vids of Aro's jumping incredible heights to snag a flying insect or an insect perched on an overhanging branch.
Will this pond be covered?
I think I remember seeing old Natgeo vids of Aro's jumping incredible heights to snag a flying insect or an insect perched on an overhanging branch.
this whole post is interesting me big time. firstly, allow me to display my jealousness at you, warm enough to keep a pond with an aro in it outside, all my pond has got is gold fish and an inch of ice each winter 
All of the comments you've had make great sense, especially adding the live bearers, doesn't the US have a sp. called the mosquito fish? some type of live bearer, meant to be the best at keeping their numbers down whilst in larval stage?
would love to see pictures of the progress if you have any? ( i know the server is down at the moment though
)
Do you live anywhere near 'buckeye'? my cousins live there.
mike
All of the comments you've had make great sense, especially adding the live bearers, doesn't the US have a sp. called the mosquito fish? some type of live bearer, meant to be the best at keeping their numbers down whilst in larval stage?
would love to see pictures of the progress if you have any? ( i know the server is down at the moment though
)Do you live anywhere near 'buckeye'? my cousins live there.
mike
i would have thought that as your aro gets bigger that the mosquitos would be to small to be seen as a viable food source ,i would put smaller fish in there but put in lots of places for them to hide plants etc
I know about skeeters i live right next to the great dismal swamp and i set up outdoor ponds every summer to raise cichlid fry. The skeeters will reproduce any place they can land on the water and not be knocked over by a ripple or bubbles. I use small 100ish gal ponds with air powered sponge filters so most of the surface water is calm. However a couple of hundred hungry red devil fry await the skeeters eggs and larva many will reproduce but i doubt any survive in my ponds lol. I suggest u add a few small cichlids to your pond fm,jd,sal etc... I don't know how large a pond u have but a pair of convicts would make a steady flow of skeeter eaters in your pond.
nmadsen4;4133171; said:
nmadsen4: I live in St. Johns, AZ and I have read thru your entire thread. Alot of good advice but just food for thought that came to mind . . . DOES YOUR COUNTY MAINTENANCE CREW SPRAY FOR MOSQUITOS DURING THE SUMMER OR ANYTIME DURING WHICH YOU PLAN HAVING YOUR POND STOCKED?
I ask this question as we get sprayed 3 to 5 times a season (May through Mid September) depending on how bad of an outbreak we have with mosquitos. St. Johns is a ranching/farming comunity. We have many irrigation canals and ditches that travel from end to end and side to side of our town, most times 24 hrs a day for 3 to 4 days a week. Then cut off for a day and then it begins again, and we are still plagued with the pesky bugs. My recommendation to you is call your county extention office and find out if your area is sprayed. It's most likely sprayed at night and sounds like a high pitched chain saw running at full throttle, when they spray.
I read a mention of Misquito fish in an earlier post on the thread here and the Mosquito fish might end up as feed for your Arowana. The males when fully mature only get to be 1-1/2 inches long and females at full maturity get to be 2 inches long. Photograps I viewed do show and upturned jaw line indicating that they are surface feeders. It may be worth a try, but don't guarantee it has a big help.
Another concern you might consider are birds of prey. Hawks, Eagles & Owls that are in the Phoenix areas, might just make a meal out of your Arowana if it is a jumping fish, especially in your pond. Bad thing is, the birds of prey in your area are protected by law, so be careful.
I don't mean to hang a black cloud over your hopes and ambitions, but these are things I would think about and check out before I spent copious amounts of money putting in a pond and stocking it, and then have it be for just an expensive lesson learned. I honor your ambition to want to do this, follow your heart in this, and do it if you are able to where the pro's outweigh the con's, but you might check these things I have mentioned. I hope I am wrong in my cautiousness. Just use good judgement and common sense, and I'm sure you'll be okay. Good luck and I hope it works out for you. Let us know what you find out. Best wishes, David
David K. Bradley;4142101; said:
I never thought about all the hawks and stuff, We do have birds big enough to snatch cats and stuff, i'd be pretty pissed if one nabbed my aro. If i setup the pond I might do it on my back patio that is covered to prevent that from happening.
And to the guy that suggested setting up a Bat Nest
you're hilarious.