Blackworms....feeding live..safe or not?

[Tynk]

Hello fishy folks.
Comments on a thread about feeding Blackworms have led me to ask it
outright.....
OK everyone...Opinions on feeding live Blackworms...safe or not?
Also, whether or not you have fed them before.
I have years back, but then was told they harbored disease, and not to.
This was buy a major Angelfish/Discus breeder in the area so I believed
him.

[John B.]

I have fed black worms purchased at the LFS to my tetras weekly as a
supplement to their flake diet (along with live brine shrimp, frozen red
worms, frozen daphnia, and freeze-dred tubifex). I have never had an
outbreak of disease related to the black worms or any other food for that
matter. The tetras love the black worms, gobbling them up greedily. I have
heard that live tubifex can harbor disease, which is why I opt for the
freeze-dried variety of those.

Perhaps it depends on the source you use for the worms. Stick with a
reputable dealer you trust is my advice.

John

Post by Tynk
Hello fishy folks.
Comments on a thread about feeding Blackworms have led me to ask it
outright.....
OK everyone...Opinions on feeding live Blackworms...safe or not?
Also, whether or not you have fed them before.
I have years back, but then was told they harbored disease, and not to.
This was buy a major Angelfish/Discus breeder in the area so I believed
him.

[Elaine T]

Post by Tynk
Hello fishy folks.
Comments on a thread about feeding Blackworms have led me to ask it
outright.....
OK everyone...Opinions on feeding live Blackworms...safe or not?
Also, whether or not you have fed them before.
I have years back, but then was told they harbored disease, and not to.
This was buy a major Angelfish/Discus breeder in the area so I believed
him.

I've fed blackworms for many years to all sorts of fish, including
angels and discus. My fish stay healthy so I've never suspected them of
being a problem. I keep the worms refrigerated, rinse daily, and only
feed healthy, wriggling worms to the fish. My understanding is that
unrinsed, dying or dead blackworms can harbor harmful bacteria.

I believe blackworms are an excellent live food for carnivorous and
omnivorous fish and have used them to coerce many newly purchased or
otherwise stressed fish into eating.

[IDzine01]

I second what Elaine said...

I feed blackworms to all my carn/omni and have been doing so for about
a year or more now. I have not had a single illness or death that can
be attributed to the use of blackworms. Actually, on the contrary, my
fish have been healthier this year then ever before. (knock on wood)

[John B.]

I also rinse the worms daily and refrigerate (advice given to me by my LFS).

John

Post by Elaine T

Post by Tynk
Hello fishy folks.
Comments on a thread about feeding Blackworms have led me to ask it
outright.....
OK everyone...Opinions on feeding live Blackworms...safe or not?
Also, whether or not you have fed them before.
I have years back, but then was told they harbored disease, and not to.
This was buy a major Angelfish/Discus breeder in the area so I believed
him.

I've fed blackworms for many years to all sorts of fish, including
angels and discus. My fish stay healthy so I've never suspected them of
being a problem. I keep the worms refrigerated, rinse daily, and only
feed healthy, wriggling worms to the fish. My understanding is that
unrinsed, dying or dead blackworms can harbor harmful bacteria.
I believe blackworms are an excellent live food for carnivorous and
omnivorous fish and have used them to coerce many newly purchased or
otherwise stressed fish into eating.
--
Elaine T __
http://eethomp.com/fish.html <'__><
rec.aquaria.* FAQ http://faq.thekrib.com

[Tynk]

Great replies to all!
See, we've already got 2 pieces to doing it correctly.....
You have to rinse them daily, and keep in the frige.
Also....Elaine has heard that feeding dead, dying worms is not a good
thing because they suspected of harboring harmfull bacteria.
That could possibly be the key right there.
I've never, in all my years, have been told that you need to rinse them
daily.
So why the rinsing daily. What is this preventing, or removing?
Also, rinse in tap water or dechlorinated water?

[Tynk]

Great replies to all!
See, we've already got 2 pieces to doing it correctly.....
You have to rinse them daily, and keep in the frige.
Also....Elaine has heard that feeding dead, dying worms is not a good
thing because they suspected of harboring harmfull bacteria.
That could possibly be the key right there.
I've never, in all my years, have been told that you need to rinse them
daily.
So why the rinsing daily. What is this preventing, or removing?
Also, rinse in tap water or dechlorinated water?

[lgb]

Post by Tynk
Great replies to all!
See, we've already got 2 pieces to doing it correctly.....
You have to rinse them daily, and keep in the frige.
Also....Elaine has heard that feeding dead, dying worms is not a good
thing because they suspected of harboring harmfull bacteria.
That could possibly be the key right there.
I've never, in all my years, have been told that you need to rinse them
daily.
So why the rinsing daily. What is this preventing, or removing?
Also, rinse in tap water or dechlorinated water?

I was told about the daily water changes, but I don't refrigerate. It
tokk my fish about 4 weeks to eat the last $1 worth of worms, and most
stayed healthy till the end. When I poured out the old water each day,
most dead and weak worms went with it. The healthy ones balled up into
a solid mass.

I haven't tried to grow my own, but take a look at:

http://www.eeob.iastate.edu/faculty/DrewesC/htdocs/LVCULT.htm

[Elaine T]

Post by Tynk
Great replies to all!
See, we've already got 2 pieces to doing it correctly.....
You have to rinse them daily, and keep in the frige.
Also....Elaine has heard that feeding dead, dying worms is not a good
thing because they suspected of harboring harmfull bacteria.
That could possibly be the key right there.
I've never, in all my years, have been told that you need to rinse them
daily.
So why the rinsing daily. What is this preventing, or removing?
Also, rinse in tap water or dechlorinated water?

The daily rinse removes ammonia and waste products that worms produce.
They die pretty fast without rinsing, much as a fish would in a small
container with no filter or water changes. I rinse them with tapwater
and then cover with water from my Pur filter. Refrigeration slows down
their metabolism so they don't need much food and don't produce as much
waste. Here's a great article on blackworms.

http://www.skepticalaquarist.com/docs/feeding/blackworms.shtml

[IDzine01]

My LFS told me not to use dechlorinator. He said he tried it once and
his entire worm supply died. Now I know plenty of people who DO use
chlorinator without a probelem but I don't bother. I figure since my
LFS guy has been doing it for years with no problem I might as well cut
the extra step too.

It's all been just peachy without the use of any dechlorinator. It
seems to not have an effect either way so folks should do which ever
they are more comfortable with.

Though, if anyone else has experienced blackworm deaths due to the use
of dechlorinators, I'd like to know so I can file it away in the
aquaria section of my brain.

[Tynk]

See...
Another thing I never heard.
All this information should be on a small label stuck or printed on the
container.
Something so simple could solve many probs.