Earthworms (NIghtcrawlers)

[Yoda1]

Around here, nightcrawlers come in organic, fertilizer-free potting soil. I know it's a pain, but you are what you eat, and you don't want your fish eating worms that are full of newspaper.

Ok, I will take out the newspaper and use some damp vegetable greens instead.

 

[Mymonsterfish]

You can buy worm bedding from a fishing store. Raised some a while back. Worms lived for months.

 

[spotfin]

Check the ingredients carefully for commercial worm bedding. That is typically used for keeping earthworms alive for fishing bait, not pet fish food consumption. I buy red worms from Walmart for my rays. They come about 25 to a container. I feed them flake food.

 

[Bottomfeeder]

Be careful feeding red worms. Some animals can eat them without issue, but for others (garter snakes come to mind), they can be highly toxic.

 

[spotfin]

My rays and frogs eat them w/o problems. What makes them toxic?

 

[dogofwar]

Been culturing and feeding red wiggler worms (AKA composting worms) to my fish for years. They're definitely NOT toxic and I've yet to find a fish that doesn't eat them readily.

The main advantage of red wigglers over earthworms (nightcrawlers) is that they do not need refrigeration and are very easy to culture in a simple bin (I have mine in nested rubbermaids in the garage).

I'm obviously a fan of red wigglers - Haven't bought live or frozen foods in years and I have a fishroom of 50-60 tanks.

Google "red wiggler culture" for copious info on how to...

Matt

Be careful feeding red worms. Some animals can eat them without issue, but for others (garter snakes come to mind), they can be highly toxic.

 

[Bottomfeeder]

Here's an article on the toxicity of redworms. Note that the article is specifically about garter snakes, which they are undoubtedly unsafe for, but that their toxicity has never been isolated and is poorly understood.

http://www.gartersnake.info/articles/2006/feeding-earthworms-red-wigglers-vs-nightcrawlers.php

 

[Jesseliu13]

lmfaooo hate you so much. but anyways, i just bought a worm farm 360 gonna use it to grow red wigglers because my rays are being jerks and not eating other foods. and im too scared to starve them. since im already starving myself from the money i spent on my rays but what you doing should be fine

 

[spotfin]

Seems the article leans toward diet as the possible cause of the worms being toxic.

 

[dogofwar]

I feed my red wigglers fruit and veggie scraps from our kitchen... apple cores, orange peels, melon rinds, strawberry heads and banana skins are some pretty toxic stuff

I feed red wigglers directly to my fish. Just a quick rinse. They range in size from really small to probably 4". Great for a range of sized of fish.

Matt

Seems the article leans toward diet as the possible cause of the worms being toxic.