I'm Being Attacked...

[Teelie]

Just to be clear before reading on, I've never had this problem and we keep a clean house but it's winter time, so outside creepy crawlies are coming indoors for the heat.

Nasty roaches are starting to lay egg pods around the filter and they're hiding on it. I've found four roaches, killed two, two escaped but jokes on them. I sprayed (very carefully) around the base of the stand so they'll die whenever they attempt to return again. Unfortunately there was not much else I could do. There's boric acid which I'm going to buy today and is a "green" alternative which me, my fish, and my girlfriend's mother (who is a health nut) will all be happier using around the tank and the foyer where they come in through the crack in the door.

Thankfully none of my other tanks are affected though one time I did find a harmless house cricket underneath a filter in my room that had laid eggs. I'd much prefer crickets. At least those I'd feed to my fish.

 

[Weaver]

Hope you get sorted.Those US cockroaches all seem like giants compared to the ones we have here.

 

[Teelie]

I found one of those ****** dead on its back behind the stand where I sprayed so I got at least one of the two that was left.

 

[blue_ram]

Hope you get sorted.Those US cockroaches all seem like giants compared to the ones we have here.

That depends on where you live. In New York, most of them are only 3/4" long. But here in Arizona, it can get upto 2" long! I heard ones in Texas get to be about the same size, but fly as well. Try not to run with your mouth open. Giant flying cockroach, yum.

 

[Teelie]

Down in Florida those are called Palmetto Bugs and they reach over 3" in length. We had them, only outside thankfully, when I lived in Pensacola a few years ago. The ones I'm dealing with aren't very big, just the wrong species of insect.

 

[blue_ram]

Down in Florida those are called Palmetto Bugs and they reach over 3" in length. We had them, only outside thankfully, when I lived in Pensacola a few years ago. The ones I'm dealing with aren't very big, just the wrong species of insect.

Yeah, you get all kinds of interesting critters in warmer climates.

 

[Synirr]

I heard ones in Texas get to be about the same size, but fly as well. Try not to run with your mouth open. Giant flying cockroach, yum.

This is true
They only fly when startled or cornered or something though, kinda like big grasshoppers (but much creepier).
Good luck getting them under control! We never had a problem with them until my dad installed an automatic sprinkler system, now they're breeding in the flowerbeds outside and coming in through cracks under the doors and such. We got them pretty well under control by having professionals spray for them outside and keeping all entrances (doors and windows) well coated with poison at the bases.

 

[Ethos]

I saw a 1" one around my house the other day and I flipped!!
I'm not a bug person....we get thousends of ladybugs in our house every fall though. Its gross.

 

[Teelie]

Our problem is we have a lot of cats and can't get everything sprayed or it may make them sick.