Question
i think my ivy may have multiple pests. one i think may be silverfish.. they are shiny and barely visible to the eye. when i did finally spot them they moved quickly in the soil. although i havent seen any fungus gnat larvae, there are gnats flying in and around plant. If you confirm these pests identity, how do i get rid of them and will two types of pests change the way i treat my plant?

Answer
Emily,

Silverfish don't feed on plants and are much larger than what you describe (see http://www.livingwithbugs.com/silverfish_firebrats.html for a picture of silverfish) so I'm not sure what you are finding. As for fungus gnats, these are common pests in potted plants where the larvae feed on roots (see http://www.livingwithbugs.com/fungus_gnat.html for a drawing). The presence of fungus gnats often indicates over-watering. If you allow the soil to dry out between watering the fungus gnats will probably go away.

Post a follow up if you have questions.

Jack DeAngelis
http://www.livingwithbugs.com