They are okay for them correct? He isn't big enough to eat them in one bite yet. So he slowly chews it. Do I have to worry about him choking?
feeding mealworms to jd
- Thread starter moonwasaloon
- Start date
No, a fish's respiratory system is such that choking isn't really possible. My JD eats large nightcrawlers that can take up to an hour to consume. No issues
davdev;5081113; said:
You feeding fry 12" + worms or just mistaking garden snakes for fish food?
My 5" male will usually pack in 5-6 4" earth worms into his gullet before he stops chasing. 2-5 minutes later he's back at the top of the tank ready for another 3-4 worms.
Moon, in my experience JD's aren't as good as convicts about dealing with larger food items. JD's would almost always sit there as yours do, while my convicts will take a worm/feeder/cricket and bash it against their clay pot, edge of a cave, or against the bottom to break it up.
When my JD's were smaller, they'd do the same as yours do. I started using a pair of scissors to chop the mealies down into 1/8"-1/4" chunks. Everybody won. If you feed earthworms, you can squeeze the dirt out of them gently over the sink and it'll knock down their diameter to a much more manageable size for your fish.
Oddly, mine hate store bought nightcrawlers. I can only assume the heavy peat smell (flavor?) turns them off (Mine hate garlic as well... go figure
). My other fish will still tear them up, but the JD's are picky eaters.