# Gnats In Scorpion Tank



## Eclipse (May 26, 2008)

As most of you know, Emperor Scorpions must have humidity which means moist soil. In my case, this is a bad thing. Moist soil anywhere in my house will produce gnats. I've cleaned and bleached the tank like some people advised but these things keep coming back within a week. I don't know how to get rid of them.

They're in my plants everytime I water them and everytime something gets moist or humid they show up out of no where. I can't use pesticide in my scorp's tank like I do with my plants so does anybody have any suggestions?


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## bjaeger (May 26, 2008)

You can try taking a jar, fill it with vinegar, then poke holes in the lid. They're attracted to it. I'm not sure if you should put that in your scorp tank, so I'd suggest putting it aside of it if you try this method.


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## Predator (May 26, 2008)

You have live plants inside your emp cage?  I had the exact same problem along with some red mites.  I say just get rid of the live plants all together.  After I removed the plants and hung some fly tape inside the cage within a week or two the mites and the gnats were history.


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## desertdweller (May 26, 2008)

I used to have that problem too and I have tons of house plants.  I have too many critters to use any chemicals anywhere.  I got some cellular spiders and let them web in the house.  No more gnats.  One web got so big it took up half one of my windows.


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## ArachnoYak (May 26, 2008)

*Please elaborate.*

"cellular spiders"? what are they?   Don't have any problems in my arachnid enclosures, but could sure use some of those in the frog tank.


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## Thongy (May 26, 2008)

I'm having gnat probs with my spinifer too. It gets really annoying.


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## crpy (May 26, 2008)

Eclipse said:


> As most of you know, Emperor Scorpions must have humidity which means moist soil. In my case, this is a bad thing. Moist soil anywhere in my house will produce gnats. I've cleaned and bleached the tank like some people advised but these things keep coming back within a week. I don't know how to get rid of them.
> 
> They're in my plants everytime I water them and everytime something gets moist or humid they show up out of no where. I can't use pesticide in my scorp's tank like I do with my plants so does anybody have any suggestions?


They are fungus flies. The larvae are in the root system of your plants as well, if you wanted, you can change out the substrait and microwave the new substrait. Also use isopods they are great cleaners.


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## EAD063 (May 26, 2008)

I had a short (2-3 month) problem with those gnats/flies as well.

Someone suggested that I put a shot of rum in a glass and leave it in the container/tank.  I did that, and I can't say all of them went to the rum, but I did find 6-10 peroidically dead in the rum and within a couple weeks the flies were no more.


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## Eclipse (May 26, 2008)

Predator said:


> You have live plants inside your emp cage?  I had the exact same problem along with some red mites.  I say just get rid of the live plants all together.  After I removed the plants and hung some fly tape inside the cage within a week or two the mites and the gnats were history.


No, I don't have any plants in the cage, but I have plants everywhere else.



> They are fungus flies. The larvae are in the root system of your plants as well, if you wanted, you can change out the substrait and microwave the new substrait. Also use isopods they are great cleaners.


I tried this and they come back within a week or so. I've also put in isopods and it made things worse.


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## Eclipse (May 26, 2008)

EAD063 said:


> I had a short (2-3 month) problem with those gnats/flies as well.
> 
> Someone suggested that I put a shot of rum in a glass and leave it in the container/tank.  I did that, and I can't say all of them went to the rum, but I did find 6-10 peroidically dead in the rum and within a couple weeks the flies were no more.


Sounds crazy enought to work. Will Budweiser work?


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## JMoran1097 (May 26, 2008)

i've never gotten flies in my T or scorp enclosures, but instead in my centipede enclosures.  but never enough to warrant any extreme measures.  i'd just open the top and let them out.


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## Bulldog08 (May 26, 2008)

JMoran1097 said:


> i've never gotten flies in my T or scorp enclosures, but instead in my centipede enclosures.  but never enough to warrant any extreme measures.  i'd just open the top and let them out.


I had some in my pede container once.  I put screen over the lid and in between  I put fly paper.  This seemed to stop them, I haven't had a problem since.


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## Michiel (May 27, 2008)

Eclipse said:


> Sounds crazy enought to work. Will Budweiser work?


Yes it will also work, but not as good as rum. It is not that crazy. The rum (one needs sugars for fermentation to create any alcohol) is made of...............................sugar....and what do flies love? 
Take rum that is made of sugar cane, a nice dark rum!


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## Eclipse (May 27, 2008)

Michiel said:


> Yes it will also work, but not as good as rum. It is not that crazy. The rum (one needs sugars for fermentation to create any alcohol) is made of...............................sugar....and what do flies love?
> Take rum that is made of sugar cane, a nice dark rum!


I hope my scorpion doesn't get drunk because I do not want to deal with hangovers.:liar:


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## John Bokma (May 28, 2008)

Are those little flies that run around like crazy all the time?


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## Eclipse (May 29, 2008)

Yes they are everywhere where there is soil and it's pissing me off big time.


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## John Bokma (Jun 8, 2008)

Two small spiders got into the terrarium, and they are catching some. Also, condensation on the glass captures a lot. No idea on how to get rid of them though.


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