Little flying bugs in tank

[brian]

hello again all. i have noticed many little (pinhead sized)bugs that fly in my setup for my 2 tiger salamanders.not only are the bugs an eyesore but yesterday I saw some hovering around one of the sallys. at the moment i dont see any, but they have been there for a few days. maybe they just hatched and left or are just hiding. because of this I plan on changing the moss and soil as well as rinsing the tank before replacing with new substrate. It is a 20 gallon long tank and the substrate has been in use for nearly over 2 months. I didnt think i would have to change it so soon and more importantly hope the bugs do not return since i mist the tank regularly. has anyone else had this experience? thank you.

 

[jeff]

moisture is the issue I think, we have the same problem in our apartment, but I don't know if the bugs will pose a threat. I think not, but im not a biologist.

 

[jennifer]

Most likely they are fungus gnats. They are harmless, but annoying. Not easy to get rid of, except by changing the substrate.