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NORTH TEXAS (CBSDFW.COM) - A mosquito's natural enemy is becoming a popular ally in the fight against the West Nile and Zika viruses. The tiny mosquitofish, or gambusia affinis, feasts on mosquito larvae.

"When I heard about them, I was like, 'Really? There's a mosquitofish,' " said homeowner Janet Adkinson, who bought half a dozen for her fountain.

Barely an inch long, the plain-looking fish can be hard to spot, but Adkinson said they're hard workers."They have a voracious appetite," she said.

At Dickson Brothers in Mesquite, the fish sell for two dollars a pop.

"But they're worth a million if you're not getting bitten by mosquitoes," said employee Mary Traveland. They don't require any care or food, beyond what they find in nature. Left in a pond or fountain, they also multiply on their own.

"I bet I have over a hundred in there now," said Adkinson.

It's not just homeowners buying them up, either.

Monday, the city of Plano will release thousands of the fish at its Oak Point Nature Reserve. According to a release, the project is "an effort to reduce the number of mosquitos and the potential for spread of viruses such as Zika and West Nile..."

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