Oh so you do have gnats they will wreak havoc. They attack your roots so that may be a lot of your problem. 5 Million Live Beneficial Nematodes Sf - Fungus Gnat/Rootknot Gall Exterminator https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00I0ZUGLK/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_6PAVXEB531450WQDJFW0 Get them and use them they destroy he population just make sure you keep them in a cold place like a refrigerator and use them sparingly per watering keep your dirt moist and if you can get ahold of those thin plastic covers it helps keep the dirt moist so those nematodes can tear is up
There are certain beneficial organisms that allegedly prey on/parasitize gnat larva. I tried some Steinernema feltiae (microscopic nematode) purchased from Nature's Good Guys and watered with those in there. Seemed to work reasonably well for the time being, but this is just anecdotal.
Maybe someone with more experience can chime in on the use of these sorts of lil guys.
Link: S. feltiae on Amazon
They are not fruit flies, they are actually called fungus gnats and are a common house plant pest that looks very similar to fruit flies. They prefer moist/damp soil in which to lay their larvae.
One of the solutions I see a lot in the bioactive communities is nematodes. Harmless to your chameleon but will kill off any and all fungus gnat larvae.
https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B00I0ZUGLK/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_i_EYGBY1BFTEWMM6WM0Q2M
Fungus gnats lay their eggs in the soil. Their larva eat plant roots. Nematodes are microscopic worms which hunt and eat fungus gnats larva. You can purchase on Amazon and water them in
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00I0ZUGLK/ref=cm_sw_r_awdo_navT_a_BRQMARNJE01VJR1RGDCN
Steinernema feltiae, a beneficial nematode, works far better than BTi and it keeps working. I tried everything and this product was the best $10 I've spent. It treats a massive amount of growth media for the money and ever since using it I haven't seen a single fungus gnat. With BTi I had to keep reapplying and it only seemed to slow them down, never actually eliminating them. All you have to do is immerse the sponge they send in warm water, dilute it with a few gallons of DI water, and water your plants with it. In a few days you'll have no gnats and they'll stay gone so long as your growth media doesn't completely dry out.
5 Million Live Beneficial Nematodes Sf - Fungus Gnat/Rootknot Gall Exterminator https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00I0ZUGLK/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glc_fabc_vCQ6Fb10A2W79
dead
Clean out, really good, I expect they are fungus gnats, you need to clean good and start over in a day or 14
Use steinerma nematodes https://www.amazon.com/Million-Live-Beneficial-Nematodes-Exterminator/dp/B00I0ZUGLK
Or/and some predatory mites Hypoaspis, https://bugsforbugs.com.au/product/hypoaspis/
Add these beasts to your soil and they will eat the larvea who have killed that plant you have there, the larvea eat the roots, she ca not be revivied in this stage I fear.
To prevent this in the future, use above steps, and,
- be careful on watering, don't leave the topsoil wet, you should water from below in fact and leave the top layer to be dry
- cover the top layer with white sand
- use a growbag, because, when covering the toplayer the fungus gnats will find other ways to enter, the holes below, or with air pots, everywhere.
- never overwater, give her enough, just enough, in the early stage that means adding a few millilters around the little stem. Let her roots search for water.
Yea so, I can get 5-250 million nematodes off Amazon.