Mosquito Fish

After the heavy rains of last weekend (that are rumored to continue this week) you might want to take a little walk around your grounds and dump out any standing water that has collected in unexpected places.  Wheelbarrow, empty bucket, various containers that your kids play with, crap that your husband leaves on the “white trash” side of the house.  Things like that.  They might seem like small, inconsequential amounts of water, but mosquitoes breed even there.  I learned this from the kind employee of the LA County West Vector Control District, who stopped by one day to bring mosquito fish for our backyard fountain.

Our small fountain had mosquito larvae in it last summer and fall, despite repeated chemical treatments.  Agoura Hills Dad drained it for the winter, so it was dry.  But soon after he refilled it, Kyle came running into the house with a collection vial, yelling “Mom!  I found some fish in our fountain!”

Uh-oh, I thought.  Sure enough, they were mosquito larvae.  That is when I started researching how to get mosquito fish – they were not for sale at any pet or aquarium store around here, but someone from one of those stores referred me to the county offices.  Our location in Agoura Hills is on the LA County side, only blocks from Ventura County.   Ventura’s mosquito fish guy, Randy, will come out to your property with mosquito fish but only if you technically live there.  Call him at 805-654-2816.

Los Angeles County West Vector Control District

310-915-7370  lawestvector.org

Leave a message about where you are and they will call you back!  Or you can go down to their headquarters at 6750 Centinela Ave. in Culver City with your own bucket and they will give you some, M-F 9:30-3:30.

The technician told me that the mosquito fish will multiply quickly and they like murky water.  Beware of raccoons, who eat them!  Ours have lived in the fountain for a few weeks now, and they all still seem to be alive and happy.