Fish provide natural control of mosquitoes

Wednesday, June 18, 2003

Sixty-one years after moving from the McCook area, Dale Fattig of Brady is still looking out for his hometown.

Fattig, his son Roger and grandson Cody were in town Monday to deliver a special gift to the city of McCook.

Fattig, who raises gambushia affinis, also known as "mosquito fish," donated about 600 pregnant female fish to the city to be placed in the ponds at Barnett Park. Fattig said the fish would deliver about 50 young each within the next 10 days.

Fattig, who graduated from McCook High School in 1943, began raising the fish on Brady Island in the early 70s to protect his own family from the summertime pest. As the summertime buzz of a pesky mosquito continues to take on a more ominous tone, Fattig's business continues to grow.

Fattig's client list includes New York City's Department of Environmental Control, where he sent 157,000 fish in 2002. He also sent a similar number to New Jersey. He gave 7,000 fish to stock a city park pond in North Platte and has sold the fish to the new Wal-Mart Distribution Center in North Platte.

According to a study conducted by the Navy and Environmental and Preventive Medicine Unit, one large female mosquito fish is able to consume 225 larvae in an hour. All sizes of gambusia feed on mosquito larvae, including fry, which are only a few hours old.

The gambushia bear live young, producing an average of three to four broods per summer at intervals of three to six weeks.

Fattig's gambushia normally cost $59 for 50 fish and can be purchased at www.fattigfish.com.

One package of 50 covers 250 square feet of water under 2 feet deep.

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