Millions of goldfish (Carassius auratus) were added to Arizona’s Tempe Town Lake in an effort to decrease the midge population, reports Fox6 News in Phoenix.
Midges are insects that look like small mosquitoes but do not bite or transmit disease. They do fly in large groups, and tend to find their way up your nose and in your mouth.
The goldfish, which were not dumped into the water by children but were trucked in from Arkansas, will feed on the pests’ larvae at the bottom of the lake, before the midges get a chance to annoy residents.
Tempe officials’ use of goldfish to control midges is an excellent example of integrated pest management (IPM). Chemicals would be too costly and not long-lasting enough to use in the lake, according to a KPNX-Phoenix news report.
The goldfish could live for years, the news report said. Unless the larger fish in the lake get to them first. The goldfish will serve as food for the bass, carp and other larger fish that live in the lake.
In March, the man-made lake was drained as the city erected a new dam. The lake has since been filled with 800 million gallons of water, reports KTAR News.
The tactic may work with mosquitoes as well. Koi, minnows and guppies are known to eat mosquito larvae.
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