Little flies in soil...arrgghhh!

[Jace]

One of my African Bullfrog tanks (10 gallon aquarium) seems to be the breeding ground for these little black flies. I have also found these flies in the soil of some of my houseplants. I'm treating the houseplants with a spray, but I was wondering if there was a safe way to treat them in my frogs' enclosure? I plan on taking her out and giving her fresh soil, but is there any way to treat such an infestation that is safe for my frog but deadly for the flies?? Thanks in advance!

[Kurt]

Aside from replacing the substrate? Not really. These flies are compost flies and they are annoying, but harmless. I have put fly paper up and that does catch quite a few.

[PsionicRat]

If you have to replace it you could try baking the soil before using it to prevent another infestation. 180 F for half an hour should do the trick. Just be prepared for a heavy dirt smell. It shouldn't adversely affect your oven or anything baked in it afterward. That's what I do to keep the gnats from overtaking the house when I use organic soils.

[Jace]

Okay, thanks for the suggestions! I'm just going to replace Obi's susbstrate and then maybe hang some fly strips around. They don't seem to bother her, but they sure annoy me!!

[Kurt]

Don't you love it when they buzz around your face and fly up your nose? Yeah, me neither.

[scribbles]

I get these flies in my White's Treefrog and hermit crab tanks sometimes. I agree, very annoying.

[KennyDB]

I have them in both of my white worm cultures, annoying yes but my plethodontids seem to love them though...

[Kurt]

Funny, I never, ever find them in my dart frog tank.

[Jace]

I had some plants around her tank, and I think it started with those and they migrated....three feet to where she is kept. However, I did a soil change, and so far, no more little gnats. I moved the plants so that might help too. How something so small can be so annoying I have no idea!

[brent]

Hi, fungus gnats can be eradicated with Bacillus thuringiensis v. israelensis, the same thing used for mosquitos in the "dunks". I didn't see it mentioned anywhere here on the forum, but from what I understand it is non toxic to everything but larval flys.
When I have a fungus gnat problem with my houseplants, I throw a mosquito dunk in my watering can for a few waterings, really simple and effective. It will not kill the adults, so they stick around for a week or so, and then they're gone till they come back. Good luck.

[Jace]

Thanks for the advice! I seem to have control of the problem for now, but I will file that away for later use. I like my tanks to be as natural as possible, but those little flies sure push my patience!