How do I control mosquio larve in the horse water troff??

[redkan]

Mosquito dunks are one option, another is a tablespoon or so of household bleach (chlorinated water). In many states putting any non-native species of fish in an outdoor tank of any kind is illegal with huge fines. While it's obviously a captive water source, there are many birds that will pluck a fish from a tank/pond and drop it in a nearby lake so I wouldn't suggest fish unless you've check with your state's fish & game department.

 

[FLchook]

Ill check into the dunks. We have city water here, so the chlorine would kills anything living.

I was out of town over the weekend, so the lady that cared for the animals probably didnt scrub it down like I do. But the rains have come, so the mosquitos will be a battle for a few months.

Yes, the horses had thier shot in May. So they are fine. I also spray them down every evening.

Thanks guys!

PS its spelt trough?? not troff huh? lol. My spelling is horrid

 

[Rhett&SarahsMom]

I am giving my boy a booster this year for WNV and everything else as well. Had his vaccines in April/May The bugs havent been too terrible here. But I am not taking any chances

 

[KingsCalls]

A single gold fish works for me....!

 

[lilchick]

With several horse troughs in different pastures it is too much to dump and fill.

I just buy the goldfish at Walmart and put a few in each trough. They do a great job of keeping the mosquito population down.

Leave them in there in winter and they usually lounge next to trough heater...

I bought a can of floating fish pellets and usually put a handful in pocket and when feeding the horses I toss a few in the troughs...

Mine are fat and healthy and the water is clear. Works for me!

 

[sundance]

I have a rain barrell for my garden and it was full of mosquito larvae so I stopped by the co-op they sell fishing supplies and bought about a half doz minnows and put them in the barrell, now they are fat and no mosquitoes, should work with the horse trough.

 

[southernsibe]

I have wanted to try this for so long. In order to keep my water clean enough for me to be happy with it, I am usually cleaning it out every other day, and if I am really lucky and it isn't too hot, every third day. I mean the whole thing gets empty, a cleaner, and a stiff brush and a full rinse then refill. My hesitation with using fish in the water trough is wondering if it will spook the horses, or, god forbid, they eat a fish! I suppose that wouldn't be the worse thing in the world, but it sort of gives me the creeps. I only have a 100 gallon trough, and two horses, so what I am doing now is manageable, but, the idea of keeping the algae or what ever else is growing in there down, that would be wonderful.

Does anyone else have a horses that refuses to drink water that isn't completely pristine? Scout is very picky, but then Renny comes along and just about dunks his head under the water and gets it filthy. And having separate troughs does not work. Just a horsey quirk!!

Rachel

 

[patandchickens]

Quote:
Bizillions of people have fish in their water troughs with no problem, so it is really not something to worry about, honest.

P.s. your horse is not going to be able to catch the fish - it will be hard enough for YOU to catch 'em with a net if you ever have to

(drain the water wayyyy down first so there's not so much space for them to get away)

The only thing about fish in the water trough is that to some degree you are trading off between green slimy stuff on the tank walls vs algal and bacterial growth in the water itself (cloudy water). More often an issue with goldfish than with mosquitofish IME (although as has been pointed out previously, mosquitofish are not legal or environmentally acceptible in all locations). The extent to which this matters depends on things like the nutrient load of your source water, number of horses, size of trough, number of fish, how much they're growing or reproducing. So peoples' experiences will vary.


Pat

 

[Psittizen Shikkin]

Goldfish are a cold water species and once the temperatures get in the 90's, they will not survive very long being kept in metal troughs or even rubber troughs sitting in the sun. Around here they probably wouldn't do well in the shade neither. Mosquito fish are primitive and can gulp air to get oxygen much like a beta fish and are very tolerant of the high temps. Another option would be the water wiggler things that move the water in the trough so the mosquitoes have no way to breathe as they need a calm flat surface to be able to take air. Though as mentioned before, the movement may spook the livestock.

 

[Florida chick]

Putting fish in the trough's is just a lazy out. Horses like COLD<FRESH water NOT stale and Ammonia contaminated water from fish.. I see troughs with fish in them and they smell NASTY and look so dirty. There is nothing like caring for your horses correctly. If you have too many get rid of some! We have 10 horses at the moment and all have fresh clean troughs.