55 Gallon Tank How to get rid of Aphids

[BigB322]

Hello,

I have been battling Aphids for several months now. I have tried everything from rinsing the floating plants off to dousing them in peroxide. I can't seem to keep them from coming back. Does anyone have any idea how to get rid of these? It is driving me nuts!

 

[Willj626]

Submerge the floating plants underwater for a few hours, it will hopefully drown them and skim off the top of the water any floaters. Do this multiples times a day for a week if possible.

 

[BigB322]

Submerge the floating plants underwater for a few hours, it will hopefully drown them and skim off the top of the water any floaters. Do this multiples times a day for a week if possible.

I tried that for two weeks, and it didn't work they came back after a month. I'm pretty sure at this point they are feeding on slime on the glass behind the filter where I can't get to.

 

[Willj626]

I tried that for two weeks, and it didn't work they came back after a month. I'm pretty sure at this point they are feeding on slime on the glass behind the filter where I can't get to.

At that point just throw out all the floating plants and try again after a few months.

 

[BigB322]

At that point just throw out all the floating plants and try again after a few months.

What about in the one tank that doesn't have floating plants, and the stupid things are laying the winged ones?

 

[Kribensis27]

can you post pics of the aphids? I’m curious to see how they would go about infesting floaters.

 

[BigB322]

can you post pics of the aphids? I’m curious to see how they would go about infesting floaters.

My phone camera can't get a good picture of them, as they are all really tiny almost like a speck of dirt. They basically just sit on top of the leaves of the floaters, and crawls around the needles of hornwort. The ones with wings look like small fruit flys.

can you post pics of the aphids? I’m curious to see how they would go about infesting floaters.

I will keep trying to get a pic for you if possible.

 

[Kribensis27]

My phone camera can't get a good picture of them, as they are all really tiny almost like a speck of dirt. They basically just sit on top of the leaves of the floaters, and crawls around the needles of hornwort. The ones with wings look like small fruit flys.

I will keep trying to get a pic for you if possible.

Oh yes, I’m VERRRY familiar with aphids, they (along with spider mites) go way back with my houseplant collection . I was just wondering how they would infest aquarium plants, considering how easy it usually is to drown them

 

[BigB322]

Oh yes, I’m VERRRY familiar with aphids, they (along with spider mites) go way back with my houseplant collection . I was just wondering how they would infest aquarium plants, considering how easy it usually is to drown them

Oddly enough it isn't easy to drown them, they just float back to the top of the tank and swim to the sides of the tank.

 

[Kribensis27]

Oddly enough it isn't easy to drown them, they just float back to the top of the tank and swim to the sides of the tank.

Hmmm, I guess it’s easier with terrestrial plants. With my houseplants, I get a bucket of water, and just plop them in. The aphids cling to the leaves and drown there.

 

[BigB322]

Hmmm, I guess it’s easier with terrestrial plants. With my houseplants, I get a bucket of water, and just plop them in. The aphids cling to the leaves and drown there.

Yeah these ones are apparently smarter then that lol

 

[Kribensis27]

Yeah these ones are apparently smarter then that lol

I guess so. Sounds annoying.

 

[BigB322]

I guess so. Sounds annoying.

Very much so.

I guess so. Sounds annoying.

It looks like I ALSO have springtails in the bigger of the two tanks.