~ 39 ~ International Journal of Mosquito Research 2022; 9(4): 39-46 ISSN: 2348-5906 CODEN: IJMRK2 IJMR 2022; 9(4): 39-46 © 2022 IJMR www.dipterajournal.com Received: 03-04-2022 Accepted: 02-05-2022 Anindita Datta Vector Molecular Genetics Research Unit, Department of Zoology (UG & PG), Serampore College, Serampore, Hooghly, West Bengal, India Rishabh Sen Vector Molecular Genetics Research Unit, Department of Zoology (UG & PG), Serampore College, Serampore, Hooghly, West Bengal, India Rittika Banerjee Vector Molecular Genetics Research Unit, Department of Zoology (UG & PG), Serampore College, Serampore, Hooghly, West Bengal, India Pranab Kumar Banerjee Vector Molecular Genetics Research Unit, Department of Zoology (UG & PG), Serampore College, Serampore, Hooghly, West Bengal, India Corresponding Author: Anindita Datta Vector Molecular Genetics Research Unit, Department of Zoology (UG & PG), Serampore College, Serampore, Hooghly, West Bengal, India Larvicidal efficacy of ornamental fishes to control Aedes aegypti in West Bengal Anindita Datta, Rishabh Sen, Rittika Banerjee and Pranab Kumar Banerjee DOI: https://doi.org/10.22271/23487941.2022.v9.i4a.621 Abstract Escalating population of Aedes aegypti may lead to cause Dengue. However, controlling their larvae by using conventional techniques like insecticides, mosquito repellents are hazardous for human health and environment. Hence, it is recommended to biologically control the mosquito larvae through ornamental fish as they are eco-friendly and cost effective. In the present study, consumption rate of Aedes aegypti larvae and other food preference of six fishes (Angel fish, Betta fish, Gold fish, Red swordtail, Molly fish and Guppy) have been observed and a comparative study has been recorded. Angel fish and Gold fish show good efficacy towards all three types of food whereas Molly fish, Fighter and Guppy exhibit good efficacy towards Aedes aegypti larvae than the rest two food items, only Red swordtail showed significant deviation in results. So, in near future these fishes can be considered as effective biological agents for controlling Aedes aegypti Larvae. Keywords: Aedes aegypti, ornamental fish, biological control, food preference, larvicidial efficacy, biological agents. 1. Introduction Vector-borne diseases continue to pose a severe problem in tropical and subtropical regions. Mosquitoes can transmit a wide range of life threatening and deabiliting diseases of human, including dengue, yellow fever, malaria, filariasis, and a variety of other diseases, which can cause major health problems and even death. A viral disease transmitted by mosquitoes is dengue fever and its control is one of the country's most difficult tasks, particularly in West Bengal [1] . Each year, 100 to 400 million infections are estimated worldwide by the World Health Organization [2] . To reduce the severity of diseases or respond to dengue outbreaks, the control of the dengue vector can be targeted against either the aquatic larval instars or the adult female mosquito stages of the mosquito [3, 4] .According to a study [5] , biotic interactions like competition and predation have the ability to reduce mosquito populations by decreasing the number of mosquito larvae. Introducing or modifying an organism to reduce the population of vectors is known as biological control [6] . Since the early 1900s, mosquito larvae are all preyed upon by a variety of organisms that act as biological control agents, including fish, frog tadpoles, dragonfly larvae, aquatic bugs, and cyclopoid copepods [7] . Comparative research on the feeding habits of introduced and native larvivorous fish is notably uncommon, despite the importance of determining the effects of their introduction on ecosystems [8] . Fish with small sizes that can survive in shallow water and those that are prolific breeders with short life cycles are the ideal candidates to act as biocontrol agents against mosquito larvae. They are surface- feeding predators that prefer mosquito larvae and have no negative effects on the local fish population [9] . Various lines of data [10, 11] revealed that in mosquito control, various mosquito breeding habitats have been exploited with larvivorous fish like Poecilia reticulata and Gambusia affinis. However, there are few reports of tactical level scaling up or large-scale fish utilisation [12, 13, 14] . In order to efficiently combat dengue vectors, larvivorous fish are mostly recommended by the WHO [15, 16] . However, their effectiveness in preventing or controlling dengue is likely to differ from that of malaria.