Raising Mosquito Larvae

[LicianDragon]

Summer is nearly here and with it  are the mosquito's. Thought I'd start a culture for my tropical tank as some nice live food. There are plenty outside now in standing water but the water is absolutely filthy and any attempt to net them out results in a net full of gunk that I really don't want in my tank. 
 
Are there any way to raise them in "cleaner" water? 

 

[josh63762]

simply get a deep container so that all the "gunk" goes to the bottom and when u catch the larvae the gunk will stay at the bottom from what i understand the container u tried to catch them in was shallow?

 

[Baccus]

I have always found mozzies breed best in water with gunk and muck, unfortunately but then if the container also has leaf litter and wood in it I find I get a bonus of live bloodworms too.
As for netting out the mozzie wrigglers I find sneak attacks on the water container most effective because at the first disturbance the wrigglers all bolt down to the base of the container and take refuge in the gunk.
What I have done with some success is make a whirl pool in the container and get the muck to collect in the middle at the bottom of the container then put your net in facing the opposite way that the water has been spinning. Quite a lot of wrigglers will end up going into the net just from the force/ speed of the water.
Or still do the whirl pool and then syphon out the gunk leaving your water relatively gunk free but still with your crop of mozzie wrigglers.

 

[nigsy]

I just leave the lids off my 3 water buts. You'd be amazed at the variety of life that grows in there!! 1 quick scoop of the fish net and lovley fresh food for the tank.

 

[LicianDragon]

The containers I've collected from where deep, still tons of gunk.  I "filtered" out some of the water through my net so it's still the color of green pea soup but "clean" and collected some egg rafts and put it all in a bottle. I'll try it this way for now. =)