Oh no apology needed. I didn't take anything personally - knew what you
meant. I got the little buggers because we have wetlands behind our
house which means a really big mosquito population so I knew there'd be food
for them. Doubt it will cut down on the mosquitos, though, as I'm sure
there are jillions of larvae layed in the swampy lake thing in the wetlands.
And because of the wetlands area and our proximity to ocean and river we
have lots of wildlife that I think would eat pet-type fish like koi.
Herons, eagles, hawks, racoons, weasels - neighbor cat if some of the native
wildlife doesn't eat him first like they did his housemate. So I thought
this would be a critter I could keep in there that would have a natural food
source and wouldn't get eaten by the local wildlife.


Lydia

Oh Lydia, please tell me your gambusia are not in a natural pond! All kidding
aside it's really too bad so many people really belive that gambusia are great
at eating mosquitos. They are not, i live where gambusias are native and they
don't do anything to control the mosquitos. they do eat other fishes eggs and
fry (as well as their own) No critcizim of you intended but everyone should
know what a threat to the ecosystem gambusia can be out side their natural
range. For mosquito control other small fish native to the area should be used.
Actually around here the best control for mosquitos has been found to be
Enneacanthus sunfish but they can only be used if they are native to your area.
Now that i have thoroughly made you mad rest assured the problem is not with
you but with state wildlife officials that seem to think that exotic release is
crime unless they do it. Gambusia have been released far outside their range
with the mistaken idea they eat more mosquito larvae than other fish. athough
other fish will eat gambusia they often stay in areas of the habitat that other
fish cannot exploit and so avoid predation while eating the fry of other fish
that do exploit the shallow water habitat. if this was a pond with no outlet or
inlet which isn't connected it any way to the outside environment... nevermind
;-)

The anti gambusia sociaty