Blood Worms

[shawmutt]

Here's a (maybe) simple question. I have a black water biotope with a school of 9 cardinal tetras. I feed them "New Life Spectrum Small Fish Formula" food, which they seem to do well with so far. However, on my most recent trip to the pet store, I decided to buy some freeze-dried blood worms to see if they liked them. Long story short, I have never seen my fish act that way before! Usually they are timid, and if I sit still in front of the tank they come out and peacefully munch on their food. I put the bloodworms in, and it became a feeding frenzy out of a National Geographic special! Obviously they like them, but my question is this:

Can blood worms be used as regular food, or are they really only a treat?

(I must add that they are going to be stressed for a while because I'm starting to change the water chemistry to better match their natural environment, and they need good food.)

 

[Somethingfishy]

Bloodworms are a good source of nutrients for the fish, but should not be used as a staple diet alone, it does not contain all their required vitamins and nutrients. i usually give mine bloodworm about 2/3 times a week as an additional or instead of food. They love it.

 

[ghettorigged]

I use a mixture of frozen bloodworms and frozen brine shrimp as a regular diet for my tetras and they are extremely happy. I use vibracolor flake food as the occasional food to keep things different.
I do find that I have to watch how much they are fed because the bloodworms will sink faster than the brine shrimp and I don't like to see a lot of leftovers on the bottom.

 

[bettacove]

I (and my fish) love bloodworms.(YUMMY! lol, no i don't eat them!) I use frozen bloodworms from Hikari, lotsa vitamins. Its allways good to have variety of foods.

ashley

 

[shawmutt]

OK thanks all!

 

[fvalbr2l]

I have a puffer that eats frozen bloodworms, and live ghost shrimp. should i feed it both or is bloodworms good enough.

 

[flamingonhot]

bloodworms,ghost shrimp feed before fed to it,snails and other meaty foods for the puffer.

Snails are really important since it trims theyre beaks. and like all fish variety is a necessity.

 

[dnaelting]

I use freeze dried bloodworms as a part of the food rotation I give my fish. They love em. But, if you really want to see your fish go nuts, use frozen blood worms. I purchase the freshwater 5 pack, with bloodworms and other treats. I feed frozen foods once a week to my fish. Every tank goes NUTS! The kids love to watch em go. My rainbows go so crazy I generally get wet when I feed frozen food.