How did This even happen?? Why???

[TheClown]

So this is very weird, maybe a first ever, but ants have started making a colony in my aquarium light- what do I even do? I don’t want to put any toxic ant killer in there bc it might leak into the tank, this is just, so weird, I never even imagined something like this could happen

 

[TX_REEF]

You could try tea tree oil, it is a nontoxic ant repellant.

 

[Fish Fan]

Yikes! My guess is that you got some food in/on the light. My cats spilled a whole thing of pellets once, and in short time there were ants on it.

Like TX mentioned, you can try tea tree oil, lemon oil, and cinnamon is supposed to work.

Diatomaceous Earth is another safe option.

I've made traps using borax (found near laundry detergents) and sugar. The ants take the material back to the nest, where it kills them all including the queen. The borax isn't the safest thing to use, but the traps are safe because the borax stays inside the trap and only the ants have access to it. Just keep this one away from pets and curious kids, but it shouldn't get into your tank.

Example:


Good luck!

 

[VintageReefer]

So this is very weird, maybe a first ever, but ants have started making a colony in my aquarium light- what do I even do? I don’t want to put any toxic ant killer in there bc it might leak into the tank, this is just, so weird, I never even imagined something like this could happen

Likely fish food crumbs. Follow the path down to see where on the ground they are coming from. Cover the area in Diatomaceous Earth. It’s a powder that’s microscopically jagged. Any insects they walk through it will get cut up, dry out and die. This will keep the issue from getting worse. Vacuum out any ants you see on the light and put some of the Diatomaceous Earth in areas they traverse.

 

[Patx]

I see egg ?
Where are they going with thoses egg ?
In or out of your lamp ?

 

[Marco_99]

Get some Terro and set up on the fixture and they’ll all be gone in 4 days

 

[TheClown]

I see egg ?
Where are they going with thoses egg ?
In or out of your lamp ?

In

 

[FUNGI]

Sea Ants!!!!!

 

[Patx]

In

so they moved part of the colony (split) for x reason and found it was a good place.
vacuum them all on their way and treat the place where they came from, (if it is accessible).
there is surely a nest where they came from.
I am not an exterminator but I believe this is a good start or call one if it came out of control.

 

[VintageReefer]

@JoJosReef how did you stop your ants that moved in your feeder?

 

[StartingATank]

So, if they are fire ants, you will have an infinite cycle, because they will die from the fan or electricity, but when fire ants die, they release a chemical that alerts other ants an ant died there, and they will continue to go there to find out what happened, and this will continue until it either dies, burns up, or they will all die.

 

[JoJosReef]

@JoJosReef how did you stop your ants that moved in your feeder?

Are these ants getting into the feeder or just living in the light fixture? Both are bad news (dont' want ants frying on lenses).

Regarding my feeder, I took my Plank out of the grooves it rests in on the Plank stand and put down a little tub with water in it. I put some tiles in the middle to rest the plank on top of and filled the water around the tiles like a moat. I added some dish soap to the moat and the ants can't cross the moat to the feeder. The cord is another issue, because they can climb the cord. Since my tank was an AIO, I loops the cord into the water in the AIO chamber so they couldn't go from one end to the other.

 

[ptrusk]

Amazon product ASIN B00E4GACB8
Best ant baits I have ever used. Put them on a little tray or piece of cardboard so they don't drip.

EDIT. Those look like carpenter ants but worth a shot.

 

[hoffmeyerz]

 

[VintageReefer]

Amazon product ASIN B00E4GACB8
Best ant baits I have ever used. Put them on a little tray or piece of cardboard so they don't drip.

EDIT. Those look like carpenter ants but worth a shot.

I’ll vouch for these. Only ones that worked for me

 

[Dburr1014]

I've made traps using borax (found near laundry detergents) and sugar. The ants take the material back to the nest, where it kills them all including the queen. The borax isn't the safest thing to use, but the traps are safe because the borax stays inside the trap and only the ants have access to it. Just keep this one away from pets and curious kids, but it shouldn't get into your tank.

This is what I use. The nice thing about the borax trap is it only needs to be in their walking line or a very near it. So it doesn't have to be up on top of your light or near the tank. Just find where the walking path is and put the Trap near it, they will find it, and then they will actively go in and out of it and bring back the borax to the nest and kill the whole colony.

 

[I never finish anythi]

That's crazy. Hope you sort it soon .

 

[logibear]

Amazon product ASIN B00E4GACB8
Best ant baits I have ever used. Put them on a little tray or piece of cardboard so they don't drip.

EDIT. Those look like carpenter ants but worth a shot.

I will second this. Very effective. You might initially notice more ants but that’s good because they are coming to take the bait away and then you see none

 

[TheClown]

I

Are these ants getting into the feeder or just living in the light fixture? Both are bad news (dont' want ants frying on lenses).

Regarding my feeder, I took my Plank out of the grooves it rests in on the Plank stand and put down a little tub with water in it. I put some tiles in the middle to rest the plank on top of and filled the water around the tiles like a moat. I added some dish soap to the moat and the ants can't cross the moat to the feeder. The cord is another issue, because they can climb the cord. Since my tank was an AIO, I loops the cord into the water in the AIO chamber so they couldn't go from one end to the other.

they are getting into the light- I don’t ever feed my tank as I have no fish or any big inverts

 

[TheClown]

So, if they are fire ants, you will have an infinite cycle, because they will die from the fan or electricity, but when fire ants die, they release a chemical that alerts other ants an ant died there, and they will continue to go there to find out what happened, and this will continue until it either dies, burns up, or they will all die.

Luckily they are not, they are Argentine ants