# Fungus Gnats, HELP!



## Red123 (Mar 3, 2010)

So how do you get rid of these pesky flies. I have completely cleaned out the millipedes housing and GALS housing and spent ages carefully trying to remove those which have made their way in with the t's. They looked free of them and within hours they are back :devil:. I guess from either the oak for the millipedes or just from flying around our house. 

I pored boiling water over the oak and microwaved the oak and used coco fibre as substrate and I have sticky fly papers hanging around the lounge.

Is there some other critter that can be added to the tanks to keep these fungus gnats under control or at bay completely or am I going to continuously have to clean the millipedes out even when they have finally gone just to keep the gnats under control? Would some sort of bio active substrate for the millipedes be the answer? Have never had a problem with these gnats before the millipedes arrived a few months ago.

Please help. How on earth do you millipede keepers and humid t keepers live with these fungus gnats they're even floating on my mug of coffee :gasp:


----------



## Hedgewitch (Feb 12, 2008)

I just kinda accepted that fungus gnats are a part of life, I am one with them now, they have accepted me as one of their own. They are my people and we work together towards a better world. 

Though more realistically, I've noticed way fewer since I since I started using springtails in humid enclosures. Not sure if it's related, but they should compete for rotting organic matter with the fungus gnats.


----------



## PeterUK (Jun 21, 2008)

Red123 said:


> So how do you get rid of these pesky flies.



You get rid of fungus gnats by NOT doing what you did below :whistling2:



Red123 said:


> I have *completely cleaned out the millipedes housing and GALS housing* and spent ages carefully trying to remove those which have made their way in with the t's.





Red123 said:


> *I pored boiling water over the oak and microwaved the oak and used coco fibre as substrate*


By doing this ^ ^ ^ you have killed all the micro-organisms that compete with the fungus gnats for food and eat their larva and eggs, also you will have destroyed all the mould and fungus spores that would have grown and which the millipedes would have eaten. 




Red123 said:


> I have sticky fly papers hanging around the lounge.


You have to start somewhere now that you have killed or massively reduced the micro fauna in the tank



Red123 said:


> Is there some other critter that can be added to the tanks to keep these fungus gnats under control or at bay completely


Add springtails and woodlice. I find that the tropical species quicker to breed than the native species



Red123 said:


> or am I going to continuously have to clean the millipedes out even when they have finally gone just to keep the gnats under control?


Every time that you clean out the millipedes (which you should NEVER do) you will then start from square one again.




Red123 said:


> Would some sort of bio active substrate for the millipedes be the answer?


You probably had the start of a bioactive substrate but you killed it.




Red123 said:


> How on earth do you millipede keepers and humid t keepers live with these fungus gnats


Thats easy. By adding isopods to all humid tanks and tubs, but you will never totally get rid of them. All you can do is keep the numbers down to a acceptable level.




Red123 said:


> they're even floating on my mug of coffee :gasp:


Serves you right for drinking such a foul and disgusting brew !!!


----------



## Red123 (Mar 3, 2010)

PeterUK said:


> You get rid of fungus gnats by NOT doing what you did below :whistling2:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Thanks for that. 
Springtails are now in with millipedes, have loads in with crestie so have taken some from there. Do you have a link to get some woodlice? I know darfrog does them but is there any where else. Also dwarf tropical, tropical or european? Not sure which would be the best. Thanks for your help :2thumb:
If springtails make their way in with the t's will this cause a problem or are they beneficial to their enclosure as well, although all but one is completely dry apart from a water bowl. There is next to no moisture in the substrate of the t's tanks


----------



## htf666 (Jun 23, 2007)

If fungus gnats are those pesky little black flies then you need a bottle of fairy liquid.
I left the top off mine and the flies went in and drowned.Now They have their own bottle with the top removed. there is about 50 in mine at the moment. They like lemon flavoured best or lime and lemongrass. Harry


----------



## Hedgewitch (Feb 12, 2008)

Red123 said:


> Thanks for that.
> Springtails are now in with millipedes, have loads in with crestie so have taken some from there. Do you have a link to get some woodlice? I know darfrog does them but is there any where else. Also dwarf tropical, tropical or european? Not sure which would be the best. Thanks for your help :2thumb:
> If springtails make their way in with the t's will this cause a problem or are they beneficial to their enclosure as well, although all but one is completely dry apart from a water bowl. There is next to no moisture in the substrate of the t's tanks


I actively add sprintails to my humid T tanks to control mould and mite growth. They won't really be able to colonise the dry tanks though as they need constant humidity.


----------



## selina20 (May 28, 2008)

Red123 said:


> Thanks for that.
> Springtails are now in with millipedes, have loads in with crestie so have taken some from there. Do you have a link to get some woodlice? I know darfrog does them but is there any where else. Also dwarf tropical, tropical or european? Not sure which would be the best. Thanks for your help :2thumb:
> If springtails make their way in with the t's will this cause a problem or are they beneficial to their enclosure as well, although all but one is completely dry apart from a water bowl. There is next to no moisture in the substrate of the t's tanks


I do cb Europeans for £2 a pot plus £4 postage. They have been captive bred for over 2 years so are completely pesticide etc free


----------



## Stu II (May 22, 2008)

I've had more of a problem with them in my house plant pots than in with my inverts. I decided to get some carnivorous plants. They've done a good job so far. If the idea appeals, have a look at this thread:

http://www.reptileforums.co.uk/forums/off-topic-chat/1035233-carnivorous-plants.html


----------



## PeterUK (Jun 21, 2008)

selina20 said:


> I do cb Europeans for £2 a pot plus £4 postage. They have been captive bred for over 2 years so are completely pesticide etc free


I've bought several tubs of woodlice from the Old Dragon. . .er. . Selina, definitely worth the money. :no1:


----------



## PeterUK (Jun 21, 2008)

Red123 said:


> If springtails make their way in with the t's *will this cause a problem* or are they beneficial to their enclosure as well, although all but one is completely dry apart from a water bowl. There is next to no moisture in the substrate of the t's tanks


If they do get into the spiders tubs, they will do no harm whatsoever . .if they survive.

I have a tub where i keep and breed springtails and woodlice, I just grab a handful of substrate/leaves/rotten wood whenever I set up a new damp spiders tank to seed it with the good guys.

As long as damp substrate is available then fungus gnats will always be be present, all that can be done is to keep them down to a manageable level.
I would guessimate that now I only get 20-30 flies a week on the sticky paper. 

This just ONE weeks worth of fungus gnats before I got them under control :gasp:


----------



## Red123 (Mar 3, 2010)

PeterUK said:


> If they do get into the spiders tubs, they will do no harm whatsoever . .if they survive.
> 
> I have a tub where i keep and breed springtails and woodlice, I just grab a handful of substrate/leaves/rotten wood whenever I set up a new damp spiders tank to seed it with the good guys.
> 
> ...



And you have got them under control purely by having springtails and woodlice in your set ups?????


----------



## Hedgewitch (Feb 12, 2008)

Red123 said:


> And you have got them under control purely by having springtails and woodlice in your set ups?????


They feed off decaying organic matter, a healthy population of scavengers like woodlice and springtails can keep possible food sources for the larvae down.

There might also be some control from them eating fungus gnat eggs too, dunno.


----------



## PeterUK (Jun 21, 2008)

Red123 said:


> And you have got them under control purely by having springtails and woodlice in your set ups?????


Yes :no1:


----------



## Red123 (Mar 3, 2010)

selina20 said:


> I do cb Europeans for £2 a pot plus £4 postage. They have been captive bred for over 2 years so are completely pesticide etc free





PeterUK said:


> I've bought several tubs of woodlice from the Old Dragon. . .er. . Selina, definitely worth the money. :no1:


Thanks for all your help. :2thumb:

The woodlice arrived safely really pleased with them. 
They are a great addition to the millipedes tanks and the cresties tank. 

And so the war against the gnats begins :lol2:


----------



## selina20 (May 28, 2008)

PeterUK said:


> I've bought several tubs of woodlice from the Old Dragon. . .er. . Selina, definitely worth the money. :no1:


Cheeky bugger :Na_Na_Na_Na:


----------

