Many people do not bother cleaning the fish tanks and allow algae to grow when they do not replace dirty water. Dirt, debris, organic materials, and moisture can grab ants’ attention.
How To Get Rid of Ants in Fish Tank? You can get rid of ants in the fish tank by spraying vinegar or dishwashing soap on the outer surface. In addition, you can use sticky tape on the upper edges, put lemon peels and spearmint twigs close to it, remove calcium deposits, and spread cinnamon powder, baby powder, or cornstarch to create a circular boundary.
It is essential to keep ants and insects away from the fish tank as these tiny creatures can annoy your pet fish and make them feel discomfort by entering their habitat.
Spray vinegar or dishwashing solution
Vinegar has an acidic nature and a strong pungent odor, which can interfere with ants’ pheromone trails. The pungent odor masks the scent of pheromone chemicals and makes them confused.
You can prepare a vinegar solution by mixing it in an equal amount of water. Pour the solution into a spraying bottle and directly spray on their trails to drown these insects.
In addition, you can spray the solution on the outer surface of the fish tank because the foul odor can make these insects come out of it.
Moreover, you can also kill ants using dishwashing soap solution by mixing 1 tablespoon of liquid soap in one cup of water. Pour the solution into the infested area to dissolve the exoskeleton and kill them.
You cannot pour this soapy solution within the tank because it can affect the fish’s life and make them prone to death because they are sensitive to these strong chemicals.
Use sticky tape on the edges
It is better to restrict ants from getting inside the fish tank to protect your aquatic pets, as these annoying insects can reach there in search of moisture.
You can use sticky tape to control the infestations within the fish tank because these tiny insects avoid walking on sticky surfaces.
They have tiny sticky feet that cannot support walking on the sticky surfaces and create hindrances in movement. In addition, it can make them trapped there while trying to cross it to reach inside.
Accordingly, they will remain stuck there for a long until the stickiness of the tape gets reduced, but they have to die after a few days as they cannot live without food and water for long.
So, apply the tape on its upper edges, or you can also create a boundary on the lower edges. It needs to be replaced after some time as it does not remain sticky for long.
Use lemon juice or peels
Lemon juice is acidic because lemons are a rich source of citric acid. This acidic nature and citrus odor of the lemon make it a good repellent for ants.
You can spray the lemon juice on the tank’s outer surface if you see a trail of ants coming toward the tank. You can prepare it by mixing it in 3 parts of water for spraying.
Moreover, it can also help remove insects already present inside the tank as it masks off their trails and creates difficulty in moving ahead.
The strong odor irritates their olfactory receptors and makes them feel a threat to their activities, so they leave the tank and find some other source of moisture.
Remove calcium buildup on the lid
You have to keep the fish tank clean as it can get dirty due to water containing minerals. In addition, calcium can get deposited on the corners or edges of the lid, attracting ants for nutrition.
The salt deposits can grab the attention of tiny insects and make them reach for the deposits. Vinegar can effectively remove hard calcium stains, so you have to clean frequently with pure vinegar.
Pour a small amount of vinegar on a clean absorbing cloth and gently rub the surface with it. It takes time for removal as these whitish deposits get hard over time.
However, you can also deal with deposits using lemon juice, as this acidic juice can efficiently act on the mineral deposits and make them disappear.
Put spearmint twigs
One of the natural methods to repel ants includes using plants or herbs with a strong repelling odor that can keep insects away from the fish tank.
You can put spearmint twigs or leaves close to the tank to deter these annoying insects. They have a fruity aroma or smell- like fresh mint leaves; however, ants do not consider it pleasant.
These insects hate the odor of mint or spearmint twigs and a few other herbs, so you benefit from the unpleasant odor by keeping fresh twigs around it.
Use cornstarch or baby powder
Cornstarch works well against insects, particularly ants, as it causes interference in internal systems and makes them die in a few hours.
You can make a circular ring of cornstarch around the fish tank, which can attract ants as it is perceived as a potential source of nutrition.
However, you have to spray water on the powder when they come closer as this powder swells up in their stomach and makes them die.
In the same way, baby powder is a good repellent for ants due to talcum and helps create a repelling boundary for these insects. Make a boundary of at least 2 to 3 inches thick to repel them.
In addition, you have to keep it intact as the powder can disappear after a few days due to air or foot traffic and provides a route for these tiny insects to reach the tank.
Spread cinnamon powder
Cinnamon has a strong repelling odor and helps keep ants at a distance from a specific area. You can use it in different ways, as its stick, powder, and essential oil are equally effective.
Moreover, you can spread the powder around the fish tank as a circular ring with a good thickness. Its powder acts as a boundary for the nuisance insects and keeps them away from fish.
You can also put cinnamon sticks close to the tanks as their strong odor causes problems for the tiny insects like they feel suffocated after inhaling the powder.
Furthermore, put cotton balls in a small tray after dipping them in a cinnamon essential oil solution. This remedy can help keep them away for a long until the cotton balls remain wet.
Call an ant exterminator
It is better to call an ant exterminator when you find that none of the natural methods effectively keeps the nuisance pests at a distance from the pet fish.
These professional exterminators can help permanently remove the ants’ colonies when you find them attacking again after killing a few insects.
Moreover, they have expertise in dealing with harmful insecticidal chemical sprays and a large population of pests that can create a panic situation for you.