Some species of native fish have been found to be very effective in controlling mosquito populations. These fish eat mosquito larvae and control the algae that provide protection to the larvae. Choosing the right fish is important. Fish that are native to the local area help ensure that local ecosystems are not disturbed. 

Gambusia is a pest fish and declared noxious in Queensland. They cannot be possessed dead or alive. If you catch them in the wild, they must be killed and disposed of immediately. Contact the Fishwatch hotline to report sightings of pest fish on 1800 017 116.

A naturally occurring option

Native fish species have none of the problems associated with the use of the introduced gambusia, provided they are not introduced to areas were they do not naturally occur (also known as translocation).

Translocation is similar to the introduction of non-native species (such as gambusia). It may have negative impacts on local native species through predation and competition for food and space.

The use of local native fish as mosquito control agents is advantageous as they are:

• easy to locate
• are suited to local conditions
• are unlikely to cause ecological disturbance.

Many small native fish are hardy and will reproduce quickly in most permanent water bodies such as ponds or dams, to form a population large enough to control mosquito larvae. Fish can be released into dams as soon as water is present. Sufficient food will be available and the fish will breed as the dam fills.

Queensland public waters

Public waters are all waters not on private property including rivers, creeks, lakes, dams and local government-owned lakes.

Fisheries Queensland may issue a General Fisheries Permit to stock fish for mosquito control in public waters in Queensland. Permits are issued only to fish stocking groups or local governments. 

When assessing fish stocking applications, Fisheries Queensland aims to ensure that stocking occurs with minimal risk of irreversible damage to existing fisheries and the ecological systems on which they depend.

Private waters

Private waters are waters on privately owned land or property, not including waterways such as rivers or creeks. Examples of private waters include farm dams, ponds and unused swimming pools.

A permit is not required to stock fish in artificially created water on private land (eg. farm dam, ornamental pond) if the water is stocked with local fish which occur naturally in the area.

Native fish stocked in a farm dam or pond for mosquito control purposes are a major concern as most farm dams and ponds are not considered to be secure environments - stocked fish can escape. During high rainfall and flooding, fish in farm dams and ponds can easily find their way into local creeks and river systems. It is important to research the right species of fish to go into dams or ponds for this reason.

Recommended native fish species

 The species of native fish that you should use for mosquito control depends on where you live in Queensland. Queensland has five major drainage divisions:

• Murray-Darling
• Gulf of Carpentaria
• Lake Eyre
• Bulloo-Bancannia
• East coast

Determine the appropriate species by drainage division you live in by referring to the Queensland drainage divisions map:

• East coast drainage divisions
• Other Queensland drainage divisions

Murray-Darling drainage division (Basins 416 - 424)

• Aggassiz's perchlet (Olive perchlet) (Ambassis agassizi)
• Murray River rainbowfish (Melanotaenia fluviatilis)
• Australian smelt (Retropinna semoni)
• Fly-specked hardyhead (Craterocephalus stercusmuscarum fulvus)
• Western carp gudgeon (Hypseleotris klunzingeri)
• Darling River hardyhead (Craterocephalus amniculus)
• Purple spotted gudgeon (Mogurnda adspersa)

• Chequered rainbowfish (Melanotaenia splendida inornata)
• Banded rainbowfish (Melanotaenia trifasciata)
• Spotted blue-eye (Pseudomugil gertrudae)
• Delicate blue-eye (Pseudomugil tenellus)
• Macleay's glassfish (Ambassis macleayi)
• Pennyfish (Denariusa bandata)
• Empire gudgeon (Hypseleotris compressa)

• Desert rainbowfish (Melanotaenia splendida tatei)
• Western carp gudgeon (Hypseleotris klunzingeri)
• Australian smelt (Retropinna semoni)
• Mueller's perchlet (Ambassis mulleri)

• Desert rainbowfish (Melanotaenia splendida tatei)
• Northwest glassfish (Ambassis spp)
• Western carp gudgeon (Hypseleotris klunzingeri)

East Coast: Section A (Basins 101 - 109)

• Eastern rainbowfish (Melanotaenia splendida splendida)
• Empire gudgeon (Hypseleotris compressa)
• Cairns rainbowfish (Cairnsichthys rhombosomoides)
• Banded rainbowfish (Melanotaenia splendida splendida)
• McCulloch's rainbowfish (Melanotaenia maccullochi)
• Threadfin rainbowfish (Iriatherina werneri)
• Purple-spotted gudgeon (Mogurnda adspersa)
• Fly-specked hardyhead (Craterocephalus stercusmuscarum fulvus)

• Eastern rainbowfish (Melanotaenia splendida splendida)
• Empire gudgeon (Hypseleotris compressa)
• Fly-specked hardyhead (Craterocephalus stercusmuscarum fulvus)
• Pacific blue-eye (Pseudomugil signifer)
• Aggassiz's perchlet (Olive perchlet) (Ambassi agassizi)
• Spotted blue-eye (Pseudomugil gertrudae)
• McCulloch's rainbowfish (Melanotaenia maccullochi)
• Pennyfish (Denariusa bandata)
• Purple-spotted gudgeon (Mogurnda adspersa)

• Aggassiz's perchlet (Olive perchlet) (Ambassi agassizi)
• Duboulay's rainbow fish (Melanotaenia duboulayi)
• Empire gudgeon (Hypseleotris compressa)
• Firetail gudgeon (Hypseleotris galii)
• Fly-specked hardyhead (Craterocephalus stercusmuscarum fulvus)
• Pacific blue-eye (Pseudomugil signifer)
• Ornate rainbowfish (Rhadinocentrus ornatus)
• Australian smelt (Retropinna semoni)
• Marjorie's hardyhead (Craterocephalus marjoriae)
• Bug-eyed goby (Redigobius bikolanus)
• Purple-spotted gudgeon (Mogurnda adspersa)