Live BlackWorms: Best Fish and LPS Food Ever?
- Thread starter Ycore
- Start date
Paul,
It is probable that some bacteria on the worms could survive changing to saltwater, but then again, these bacteria are pretty much ubiquitous, so the marine fish wouldn't be exposed to something that is already floating around their tank - with one exception; Mycobacterium marinum. This has been anecdotally linked to blackworms, and this bacteria lives inside the worm, so it wouldn't die from exposure to saltwater, not before the worm is eaten anyway. Now, marine fish can pick up Myco from a variety of sources, and most fish can fend the bacteria off with no health issues, but some fish get hammered by it.
Have you ever noticed that some marine fish react negatively to black worms? All the writhing around that worms do when they hit saltwater seems to put some fish off - notably small butterflyfish that may not be feeding very heartily to begin with.
Jay
It is probable that some bacteria on the worms could survive changing to saltwater, but then again, these bacteria are pretty much ubiquitous, so the marine fish wouldn't be exposed to something that is already floating around their tank - with one exception; Mycobacterium marinum. This has been anecdotally linked to blackworms, and this bacteria lives inside the worm, so it wouldn't die from exposure to saltwater, not before the worm is eaten anyway. Now, marine fish can pick up Myco from a variety of sources, and most fish can fend the bacteria off with no health issues, but some fish get hammered by it.
Have you ever noticed that some marine fish react negatively to black worms? All the writhing around that worms do when they hit saltwater seems to put some fish off - notably small butterflyfish that may not be feeding very heartily to begin with.
Jay
I have noticed this. It took some of my fish a few tries to figure out that they are in fact food. Anthias, for example, didn't really recognize these long brown worms (some longer than they are :lol: ) as food at first. But it seems once they bite them, they must taste pretty good.
I have no experience with small butterflies (at least the ones I've worked with) ever refusing these worms. But my experience probably isn't as vast as yours on this point.
el aguila
New member
In his book "Culturing Live Foods" Michael Hellweg recomends culturing the worms growing them out in a container with newspaper or paper bags (with water) and feeding them with a vegetable based fish food.
Of course you could always feed them with potatoes to get the true french fry effect. lol
I do not have a local LFS that carries them, so I would need to culture them and have been following this thread because I plan on culturing them in the future as a supplemental food.
Of course you could always feed them with potatoes to get the true french fry effect. lol
I do not have a local LFS that carries them, so I would need to culture them and have been following this thread because I plan on culturing them in the future as a supplemental food.
Paul B
Premium Member
Jay I have never seen a problem of any kind with blackworms and most fish especially small butterflies that I collect here in the Atlantic love them and will eat nothing else.
The only fish that don't eat them that I know of it pipefish and seahorses along with lionfish and other larger carnivores.
Some fish need to get used to them as they have never seen them but once they start to eat them, there is no problems.
As for harboring bacteria, I am sure they do as does all live foods. I also collect amphipods and grass shrimp in the sea and as I mentioned, I have not had a fish die of any disease in decades. I think I tested the worms in my tank longer than even any human food was tested on us. In my experience I have never had a problem with live worms either in a disease perspective or fish not eating them.
I do feed them with a baster looking thing a few at a time because they do die in about 10 seconds. I also feed them to my bubble corals and giant mushroom corals.
I keep them in a home made worm keeper and rarely lose a worm, they are nice and healthy. They do reproduce but no where fast enough so I do buy them about once a week in one ounce batches.
I think of them more as a vitamin pill than a food because they are very rich. I also feed normal aquarium foods like mysis and plankton along with fresh clams.
As I said, if you are afraid of worms as food, don't use them, but you can't say they are bad if fish live at least 18 years on them while spawning for most of those years.
The only fish that don't eat them that I know of it pipefish and seahorses along with lionfish and other larger carnivores.
Some fish need to get used to them as they have never seen them but once they start to eat them, there is no problems.
As for harboring bacteria, I am sure they do as does all live foods. I also collect amphipods and grass shrimp in the sea and as I mentioned, I have not had a fish die of any disease in decades. I think I tested the worms in my tank longer than even any human food was tested on us. In my experience I have never had a problem with live worms either in a disease perspective or fish not eating them.
I do feed them with a baster looking thing a few at a time because they do die in about 10 seconds. I also feed them to my bubble corals and giant mushroom corals.
I keep them in a home made worm keeper and rarely lose a worm, they are nice and healthy. They do reproduce but no where fast enough so I do buy them about once a week in one ounce batches.
I think of them more as a vitamin pill than a food because they are very rich. I also feed normal aquarium foods like mysis and plankton along with fresh clams.
As I said, if you are afraid of worms as food, don't use them, but you can't say they are bad if fish live at least 18 years on them while spawning for most of those years.
that is what i was thinking about copperbands... glad i found this thread guys
Yes, it is the food of choice for difficult to start eating copperbands.
:fish1:
Robka
New member
My experience with blackworms parallells Paul b's exactly. They are a virtually sure fire food source for tiny 10-20mm butterflies and trunkfish, which prefer them above all things. My blotched anthias was hesitant until he tasted them, and now scarfs them down along with mysis, pods, shrimp, etc. They are a supercharged food that will grow a fish very quickly, and it's the aquarists job to see that a wide variety of other foods are also eaten, fresh if possible.
Of course, the worms must be fresh and healthy. I keep mine in the refrigerator in a double level plactic contraption that allows me to rinse and change the water every day. It takes two minutes. The worms have no odor if cleaned properly. I usually buy enough to last for about 2 months. I've seen very few fish that don't eat blackworms ravenously. Blackworms are found in clean, clear, cold fresh water, not the muddy swamps tubifex worms inhabit.There are several species that I would not have been able to keep successfully with were live blackworms not available. Rinse before feeding.
Years ago, I had a girlfriend spend the summer at my place. She flipped out when she found the worms in back of the veggie crisper. I pointed out that the worms were here before her, and would probably be here after she went back to complete her art history degree.
Of course, the worms must be fresh and healthy. I keep mine in the refrigerator in a double level plactic contraption that allows me to rinse and change the water every day. It takes two minutes. The worms have no odor if cleaned properly. I usually buy enough to last for about 2 months. I've seen very few fish that don't eat blackworms ravenously. Blackworms are found in clean, clear, cold fresh water, not the muddy swamps tubifex worms inhabit.There are several species that I would not have been able to keep successfully with were live blackworms not available. Rinse before feeding.
Years ago, I had a girlfriend spend the summer at my place. She flipped out when she found the worms in back of the veggie crisper. I pointed out that the worms were here before her, and would probably be here after she went back to complete her art history degree.
Rhodes19
New member
LMAO!!!! :lol2: Paul, that was a great write up. I'm sorry for your carpal tunnel, but you have me rethinking what I feed.
LukFox
Active member
I guess I'll post an update, too . My fish are largely uninterested in the worms. One of my regal angels will eat them, but everything else largely ignores the worms, including two yellow longnose butterflies. Fortunately, the butterfly I have in QT is eating the worms quite well. I do wonder if it is worth feeding her worms from this 2 week old batch or if I should get another bag? My worms have gotten quite thin (though none have died), and I'm not sure how much my butterfly is really getting from these thin worms. I just have so many left since barely anything has eaten them! Should I feed the worms something?
None of my fish are addicted by the way. They'll eat most anything, and the new butterfly has been accepting other foods more readily since eating the black worms.
. My fish are largely uninterested in the worms. One of my regal angels will eat them, but everything else largely ignores the worms, including two yellow longnose butterflies. Fortunately, the butterfly I have in QT is eating the worms quite well. I do wonder if it is worth feeding her worms from this 2 week old batch or if I should get another bag? My worms have gotten quite thin (though none have died), and I'm not sure how much my butterfly is really getting from these thin worms. I just have so many left since barely anything has eaten them! Should I feed the worms something?None of my fish are addicted by the way. They'll eat most anything, and the new butterfly has been accepting other foods more readily since eating the black worms.
