# Bed bug treatments and aquariums?



## westerlies (Mar 16, 2014)

So I moved into my cute new apartment a couple weeks ago, had some spending money and went out and got my first tank, a Fluval Spec III just as a beginner tank. Currently houses a betta, a couple ghost shrimp and a variety of plants. About a week ago I started noticing bites on my arms and legs, then a live bug on my sheets. I tore my bed apart and sure enough, BED BUGS. Apparently the woman who lived there before me was kind of a hoarder and brought furniture in off the street, the infestation had gone unchecked for a FEW YEARS. 

My landlord is paying for an exterminator to come out and spray whatever chemicals, my question is: do I cover the tank with saran wrap per his suggestion or just take the tank with me when me and my cats vacate to let him do his thing? I'm not 100% sure I trust his advice because he was fairly heavily medicated when he came out for the inspection (I honest to god wish I was kidding.) The internet has mixed responses so I was hoping any of y'all who've had to deal with this could give me advice.

This has already been a pretty horrible ordeal and I really do not want to come back to my apartment to a dead fish.


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## phattnug (Feb 20, 2014)

coveri your tank witch wrap will be fine make sure it is sealed if possible move you fish outside somehehere if possible? away from the spray in jujst make sur that no spray wil enter the tank and your fishes will be happy


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## jfishy (Apr 15, 2012)

I would say sealing will definitely prevent chemicals from getting in, but my only concern would be if the fish would end up deprived of o2 being sealed


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## Aurie (Jun 3, 2013)

Are you staying in a hotel or at a friends? When a tree fell on my house I moved my 2 fish to a hotel. I kept the betta in his 2.5 bowfront and a comet in a goldfish bowl (temporarily) and when I got to the hotel I set up my comets 10 gallon temp tank. They survived the week I was at the hotel with no problems and housekeeping didn't touch them. They knew we were homeless for a week and never seemed to mind. We also had our 2 dogs with us in 2 seperate rooms (our room mate had a seperate room) .. 

Maybe you'll have as cool of a hotel (if staying in one) or a friends house. You only really need a couple of outlets and a flat counter... 

I've bombed my house for fleas with Rx bombers from our vet and I covered my tank but we left our windows open (like newbs) so the dose didn't end up being so strong. everything came out fine.


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## westerlies (Mar 16, 2014)

Unfortunately I'm staying here and just vacuuming/steam cleaning like a madwoman until I finally pass out too exhausted to think about being a tasty treat to these tiny vampire horrors. It's been strongly recommended that I don't sleep elsewhere and risk infesting another location. The spraying itself will only be for about 5-6 hours so if I take the betta with me he'd just be hanging out in a bowl which should be fine for that duration I assume. I'm thinking what I will end up doing is just leaving the shrimp in there and shrink wrapping the tank and take the betta with me. It's entirely likely I am just being a paranoid weirdo but this situation is bringing the worst out of me lol


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## phattnug (Feb 20, 2014)

westerlies said:


> Unfortunately I'm staying here and just vacuuming/steam cleaning like a madwoman until I finally pass out too exhausted to think about being a tasty treat to these tiny vampire horrors. It's been strongly recommended that I don't sleep elsewhere and risk infesting another location. The spraying itself will only be for about 5-6 hours so if I take the betta with me he'd just be hanging out in a bowl which should be fine for that duration I assume. I'm thinking what I will end up doing is just leaving the shrimp in there and shrink wrapping the tank and take the betta with me. It's entirely likely I am just being a paranoid weirdo but this situation is bringing the worst out of me lol


lol my friened cracked a can of fly spray in my frish room one like the whole bottle was emtpy when i foun it worst it don was leave a oil like film ontop of my water i just scimed it off that was 5 monts ago if you cover tehey tank you shuld be find


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## Aqguy (Oct 30, 2013)

The scary part is the chemicals that kill the bugs will be thurout your apartment and will also come into contact with you. More than just the betta fish here.
Hormones and preservatives in food chemicals in our lives and people wonder why they get cancer.
Not wishing any bad will only the best just a thought.


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## westerlies (Mar 16, 2014)

yeah, it's kind of a horrifying thought but honestly I'll take it over bed bugs at this point.


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## greaser84 (Feb 2, 2014)

Cover the aquarium with plastic good and tight. The chemicals take around 1-2 hours to dry. The chemicals are not a true gas so the amount in the air is very minimal. Any experienced tech knows that spraying near a tank or above it is a no no unless you absolutely have too.. Ask the tech to inspect the aquarium, the stand and surrounding areas really well. If he finds them, he should do a crack and crevice treatment which is very controlled and direct spraying. I have found bedbugs around aquariums many times, they are attracted to co2 and heat, if you have a co2 system you could have bedbugs near the tank. You'll be fine. 8+ years of pest control experience and 100's of bedbug jobs. 

PS: never in 8+ years have I seen a customer's fish die from a bedbug treatment.


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## westerlies (Mar 16, 2014)

greaser84 said:


> Cover the aquarium with plastic good and tight. The chemicals take around 1-2 hours to dry. The chemicals are not a true gas so the amount in the air is very minimal. Any experienced tech knows that spraying near a tank or above it is a no no unless you absolutely have too.. Ask the tech to inspect the aquarium, the stand and surrounding areas really well. If he finds them, he should do a crack and crevice treatment which is very controlled and direct spraying. I have found bedbugs around aquariums many times, they are attracted to co2 and heat, if you have a co2 system you could have bedbugs near the tank. You'll be fine. 8+ years of pest control experience and 100's of bedbug jobs.
> 
> PS: never in 8+ years have I seen a customer's fish die from a bedbug treatment.


you're a saint! I'm sure you're used to people working themselves into an anxious frenzy about bed bugs, it's good to hear that from an expert. Consider my anxieties soothed. Thank you!


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## greaser84 (Feb 2, 2014)

westerlies said:


> you're a saint! I'm sure you're used to people working themselves into an anxious frenzy about bed bugs, it's good to hear that from an expert. Consider my anxieties soothed. Thank you!


Your welcome, glad to help. I definitely understand why people get worked up over bedbugs, they are nasty and anyone can get them. I go to great length to avoid bringing them home. I wouldn't worry about the fish at all. Ask them to set up insect monitors so you can confirm they are all dead. Bedbugs are relentless. You should ask your neighbors if they have had problems, apartment's are notorious for sharing bug problems.


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## DominicWhite (Aug 20, 2020)

terrible situation, hope you resolved it!


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