Bloodworm Alternatives for Allergic Aquarist

[Fiferjanis]

I have a new Tiger Botia Loach, and he seems happy enough, but I don't really see him eating what I feed everyone (flake, freeze-dried bloodworms, frozen algae brine shrimp, shrimp pellets, algae wafers, peas...).

The guy at the LFS gave me frozen bloodworms that will sink (vs. the freeze-dried I have) but I'm already noticing hives just from driving in the car with them packaged up... I suspect the freeze-dried were the culprits for when I put my arms in the water and get random hives...

"Stop using them" is obviously the long-term answer, but what can I feed my loach that it would eat, would have time to get at (before the other ravenous feeders eat it all) and wouldn't cause allergies in me?

 

[Fishanatic]

I have a new Tiger Botia Loach, and he seems happy enough, but I don't really see him eating what I feed everyone (flake, freeze-dried bloodworms, frozen algae brine shrimp, shrimp pellets, algae wafers, peas...).

The guy at the LFS gave me frozen bloodworms that will sink (vs. the freeze-dried I have) but I'm already noticing hives just from driving in the car with them packaged up... I suspect the freeze-dried were the culprits for when I put my arms in the water and get random hives...

"Stop using them" is obviously the long-term answer, but what can I feed my loach that it would eat, would have time to get at (before the other ravenous feeders eat it all) and wouldn't cause allergies in me?

Not sure about clown loach, but an alternative would be beef heart, brine shrimp and krill. They are very good too

 

[butterfly_koi]

^^ Beef Heart is a good idea ^^
I feed my bottom dwellers Beef Liver, they go nuts for it.