Bloodworms for dinner?.....again?...yawn

[Guppyman]

I picked up some freeze-dried bloodworms this weekend (sorry, don't remember the brand). None of my tetras seem to be terribly impressed.

Hi QTOFFER. I recommend feeding the food that your fish seem to like the least - as the first meal of the day - when they're less "picky." Try rehaydrating your worms before feeding them to your fish. All of my guppies, Corys and the green panchax go nuts over the frozen blood worms. I recommend the Hikari brand. They are waaaaay better than any other product on the market.

Not to be disagreeable to puffergirl, but IMHO - glasswoms are about the same as a human eating lettuce. About 90% water, a little fibre and very little nutritional value. Additionally - they are NOT mosquito larvae, but rather "midge" larvae. Save your money.

For the ultimate treat, live black worms will get ANY fish to sit up and take notice. - Frank/Guppyman

 

[QTOFFER]

Thanks, guppyman, I'll try the rehydration technique. And the brand was definitely not Hikari - that could be part of the problem, I guess.

I'm a little hesitant about getting the blackworms - aren't they the ones that live in poop? Is the chance of introducing disease much higher with live foods as compared with frozen?
If I'm mistaken, someone please correct me.

Finally, are tubifex the tiny red worms that you buy as a wriggling mass?
Any particular recommendations for feeding them - stick the mass to the glass - or is it necessary to get one of those floating feeders?

 

[Guppyman]

Blood Worms

Hi,

Black worms are perfectly safe. Tubifex are what you are thinking of. They live in sewage ditches and are very dangerous to feed your fish. They are the "red wrigging mass" you mention. The floating feeders can be used with the live blackworms, but I don't bother. Just throw them in the tank, (I use a turkey baster) and believe me, once your fish get a taste for them, the tank will explode whenever you introduce them.

For live black worms and frozen Hikari products, go to: http://www.aquaticfoods.com/

For everything you ever wanted to know about california Black Worms, go to: http://www.simplydiscus.com/forum/index.php?board=3;action=display;threadid=957

Good luck! - Frank/Guppyman

 

[QTOFFER]

Thanks, Guppyman - I'll try to pick up some blackworms on my way home tonite.

I'm just trying to give my guys and gals a little variety as well as give them a reason to make the water boil with excitement whenever I enter the room!

Blackworms...It's what's for dinner!

 

[An t-iasg]

Blackworms...It's what's for dinner!

Sounds yummy! Makes me wish I was a fish!!!!

At the hatchery (where I got my bettas), they have black worms in a big tub in the frig. The one guy just scooped them out with his hands!! He was bagging them for a customer. Then they laughed at me for being squeamish! A few at a time is ok, but a whole tubful is kinda gross!

 

[mrzap]

On the frozen bloodworm drops you just put them in there frozen and let it float or do you let it thaw at all first?

 

[Guppyman]

Frozen Blood Worms

Hi,

I put mine in a tupperware container with water, let them thaw out and then use a turkey baster to suck them up and shoot them into the tank. It makes them look "alive" and the fish chase after them. - Frank/Guppyman

 

[QTOFFER]

I tried the rehydration technique with the dried bloodworms and the tetras finally took notice. I just held a pinch of bloodworms under the water till they swelled up a bit an then released them into the current. Maybe they ARE more appealing if they're moving about as if they're alive.

My lfs ran out of blackworms - all they had was tubifex - I'll chack back leter this week.

As an experiment, I threw in a small piece of spinach leaf for the corys. They didn't touch it. Popeye would have been disappointed.

 

[mrzap]

I just let the drop o nasty worms sit there frozen at the tank surface. My beta started to nip on it and they started to unravel and my mollies got excited and helped out. It was a feeding frenzy. I guess my fish are less picky

 

[krap101]

is there any way to get ur fish to eat the bloodworms? i have to take em out every time and they dont eat em but it was the same with the algae wafers (top fin) but now my gouramis eatin em mayb ill try again