FIGHT THE BITE

Sorry, No Mosquitofish Available

Sorry for the inconvenience, but CMCD does not currently have any mosquitofish to distribute. Our 800-gallon tanks were drained in preparation for their new location on our campus. Watch our Facebook page, Twitter, and website for updates when they will be available again.

We Love Mosquitofish!

State of Florida Icon | Collier Mosquito Control District

Native to SWFL

  • The Eastern Mosquitofish (Gambusia holbrooki) are native to our area
  • No permits are necessary to own them

Small but Tough

Mosquitofish Icon | Collier Mosquito Control District
  • Gambusia are ideal for mosquito control because they are very tough fish that can tolerate poor water quality and a wide range of temperatures
Mosquitofish Eating Icon | Collier Mosquito Control District

Big Appetites

  • Their favorite food is mosquito larvae
  • The adult fish can eat up to 100 larvae each day
No mosquitofish currently available
CMCD does not currently have mosquitofish available

We Love Mosquitofish!

State of Florida Icon | Collier Mosquito Control District

Native to SWFL

  • The Eastern Mosquitofish (Gambusia holbrooki) are native to our area
  • No permits are necessary to own them

Small but Tough

Mosquitofish Icon | Collier Mosquito Control District
  • Gambusia are ideal for mosquito control because they are very tough fish that can tolerate poor water quality and a wide range of temperatures
Mosquitofish Eating Icon | Collier Mosquito Control District

Big Appetites

  • Their favorite food is mosquito larvae
  • The adult fish can eat up to 100 larvae each day

CMCD does not currently have mosquitofish available

Best Locations to Use Mosquitofish

  • ornamental ponds
  • backyard ponds
  • flooded yards
  • retention ponds without fountains
  • unused swimming pools
  • animal troughs
  • ditches and swales
  • large areas of standing water
Free Mosquitofish for Collier County Residents | Collier Mosquito Control District
DID YOU KNOW?

Mosquitofish Facts

Mosquitoes need only a little bit of standing water in which to lay their eggs. And remember that mosquitoes aren’t just a nuisance – they can also spread disease such as chikungunya, dengue, yellow fever, Zika and West Nile.
Their small size (only 1.5” – 2”) means they can live in shallow waters and penetrate dense vegetation growth where mosquito larvae and pupae hide. An adult mosquitofish can consume over 100 mosquito larvae daily.
Mosquitofish are extremely hardy and will tolerate and thrive in just about any standing water, regardless of pH or oxygen content.
If insufficient natural foods are present, supplement their diet with a quality fish flake food.
Mosquitofish bear live young (they do not lay eggs) and produce new broods of up to 100 young about every six weeks.
Ideally, the environment should have hideout points like rocks and aquatic plants to protect the newborn fish, or fry. Without a safe hiding place, adult mosquitofish may eat the fry.
The average lifespan of a mosquitofish is about a year.

Caring For Your Mosquitofish

Quickly take home your mosquitofish – they are provided to you in a small container that will not support them long-term.

Slowly submerge the open container of fish into your water-filled area, ensuring that fish can easily swim out of the container.

If the fish exhaust the mosquito larvae supply in your waters, you can supplement their diet with tropical fish flakes to maintain a healthy population.

When the waters begin to recede, the fish may naturally find their way to other bodies of water. If not, you may choose to relocate them.

Hands holding mosquitofish in water | How to care for Mosquitofish | The District