# APHIDS!!!



## Guest (Mar 15, 2004)

NOOOOOOO! one of my vivarium plants is infested with aphids! iwas just about to kill them when i had the thought to use them as food for the frogs. will this work? also, how do i get the aphids off the plant without harming it? TIA


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## TonyT (Feb 16, 2004)

If it is a vivarium plant isn't it in the vivarium? Or is it waiting to be planted? Either way the frogs will love the nice little snack. If it is not in the tank just shake the pant over a dish or bowl. Something to where they can be collected and then placed in the dusting jar to be feed to the frogs. If the plant is in the tank already the frogs will find them. Just be careful that there are no pesticides or anything on the plant or aphids that could hurt the frogs.

TonyT


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## Guest (Mar 15, 2004)

I have heard that aphids are often cultured for dart frogs, and I think the fact that aphids are present should rule out the presence of pesticides on the plant, I say put the plant in and let them take care of the problem.


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## Guest (Mar 16, 2004)

Lance said:


> I have heard that aphids are often cultured for dart frogs, and I think the fact that aphids are present should rule out the presence of pesticides on the plant, I say put the plant in and let them take care of the problem.


thats the thing... i dont have any frogs yet. may be a few weeks or months


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## AlexB (Feb 15, 2004)

You could send some to me? =) I always wanted some for my frogs.


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## Guest (Mar 16, 2004)

If you don't want them there you can either blast them off the plants with a good spray bottle of water and drown them, I say blast but it doesn't take too much since they are so little and it won't hurt the plant, or you can vacuum them all off the plants and just be sure to empty the vacuum outside. Just make sure that you use a very small nozzle on the vacuum or one with a brush on it so that you don't suck up the plant. I have a tiny little set of vacuum tools for my shop vac that works fantastic for stuff like this.
Rhonda


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## JJuchems (Feb 16, 2004)

I hope that the frogs will help keep the aphids down. These little bugs will take over and kill your live all your live plants. Before cross contaminating your tanks, I would first wait to see if your Dart Frogs can manage to suppress the aphid population and allow for your plants to properly develop. Also you do not want to contaminate your house plant if you have any. The best way to kill Aphids(NOT IN YOUR FROG TANKS) is to use a spay bottle with a little dish soap added to the water (TRACE AMOUNTS OF SOAP WILL KILL YOUR FROGS!)spray the plants leaves down.
Later and Happy Frogging,
Jason Juchems


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## Guest (Mar 16, 2004)

I am going to brush the plant with a bit of alcohol. that takes care of aphids
it also takes care of the anxiety of loosing a prised plant :lol: :shock:


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## edwardsatc (Feb 17, 2004)

JJuchems said:


> I hope that the frogs will help keep the aphids down. These little bugs will take over and kill your live all your live plants. Before cross contaminating your tanks, I would first wait to see if your Dart Frogs can manage to suppress the aphid population and allow for your plants to properly develop. Also you do not want to contaminate your house plant if you have any. The best way to kill Aphids(NOT IN YOUR FROG TANKS) is to use a spay bottle with a little dish soap added to the water (TRACE AMOUNTS OF SOAP WILL KILL YOUR FROGS!)spray the plants leaves down.
> Later and Happy Frogging,
> Jason Juchems


I've got to disagree with you here Jason. There is very little risk of the aphids killing _all_ his live plants.

_Most_ aphid species are host specific and will not infest plant species other than the host species. Some have secondary hosts but few, if any, will just go munching about on just any old plant.

Also, aphids rarely kill the host plant unless it is in poor health to begin with or very young. They will, however, do significant damage to leaves, stems and roots which will often leave the plant stunted and unsightly.

That said, aphids _are_ vectors for plant diseases and viruses. These diseases could potentially kill the host plant.


Donn


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