Question about pest control and my fish tanks!?

emilyekk

emilyekk

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Apr 28, 2009
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I rent my apartment and my landlord informed me that exterminators will be coming tomorrow to spray for bugs.

No idea what kind of bugs, but I live in south Florida, so I assume its a wide range of bugs.

Is this going to hurt my tanks? I have a 10 gallon and 5 gallon, both have lids but I'm worried.


Has anyone had experience with this? Do I need to remove all my fish? Leave them be? Cover the tanks with a towel or something?

We also have dogs and a cat and they said we are allowed to stay in the house so I don't know if the fish tanks are okay the way they are...?

Argh I'm panicking and I hate that I have no idea what to do with such short notice! :confused:
 
do you have an bubbler?
 
I would go and get Press and Seal Saran Wrap and completely cover and seal the tanks. Turn off your filters while they are spraying and make sure they are covered as well. Yes if the "mist" gets in your tank it can hurt the fish. Your dogs will just inhale a little, so it isn't so bad. Your fish will inhale and injest the spray if it makes it into the tanks. So imagine if your dog drank it.

Turn off the bubblers too. A short while without filters and air is not going to hurt them. Once the spray has settled, even though you can still smell it, it should be fine.
 
i would think that any chemical that is going to be sprayed in a small space such as an apartment is going to find it's way into the tank somehow. i don't even spray air freshener in my place these days except for the area around my door and shoe/coat rack (what can i say, the bf's shoes aren't that aromatic, lol)

the exterminator may have said your dog/cat/air breathing pet would be fine due to the fact that they would not be immersed in water that is continuously harbouring the chemical that the exterminator is spraying. being as the fish cannot move away from their environment and get fresh air the way a four legger would, they are in constant exposure to whatever we expose them to. i don't know of the effects on fish from bug sprays/exterminator sprays being present in the water, but i don't think it would be a good outcome. ever seen an exterminator without protective gear? they are around the chemicals all the time and know what constant exposure can do and take precautions as such.

with small tanks like yours and only having two tanks, would you be able to move them for a week to somewhere else, say a friend or family member's house? i say a week because the spray that the exterminator will use will not completely go away the day after the spraying, some will linger in the air, on surfaces, etc.

any fish equipment that you are not able to move with the tanks i would bag very very tightly (maybe double bag it) and give it all a very hot rinse when you take it out, to ensure no residue from the spray is on it.

maybe all of the above is me being paranoid about finkid health, but i would hate to see myself or anyone else lose their fish due to thinking 'it should be ok', without the research and meticulousness that determines if it's ok or not.
 
I wish i had read this before - we had our hardwood floors refinished and I lost 6 fish last year after the event. Take any precautions you can.
 
cover the tanks. If you cant get press and seal tape a garbage bag to the top of the tank making sure it is sealed. The filter should also be covered, or bagged.
 
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