I heard that if a mealworm is eaten and still alive it could scratch or bite inside the fishes body. Ive heard it could even kill a fish. Is this true?
Mealworms possible in harming fish?
- Thread starter Pyramid_Party
- Start date
You might want to do a search. There is a thread about this. Someone stated a live "SuperWorm" (giant mealworm) ate its way out of a fish! They say removing the head eliminates this problem!
Never lost a fish to a meal or superworm.... Cannot sya whether the rumor is true or false though...
I came across this topic a couple years ago when researching for a pet hedgehog. There are a few reports out there of meal worms killing the animals that eat them. Those reports are however very rare- something like a small fraction of 1%. Just depends on how you want to prioritize your concerns.
I think this is a pipe dream someone came up
First off... The stomache acid alone would kill it shortly after swallowed. Second they drown pretty quickly.. So unless it ate it's way out within a few minutes... well i wouldn't worry about it.
I haven't seen any posts of anyone losing fish to super or meal worms..
Just my opinion
First off... The stomache acid alone would kill it shortly after swallowed. Second they drown pretty quickly.. So unless it ate it's way out within a few minutes... well i wouldn't worry about it.
I haven't seen any posts of anyone losing fish to super or meal worms..
Just my opinion
it is highly unlikely, I'd feed mealworms without worry, if not just cut the heads off the mealworms
i always drown them first so they sink to the bottom for the bichir. although ive fed them for years and its all fine
when they are in their cocoon form they are safest as they have no mouthpart, well if you are concerned about them "killing" your fish which i highly doubt but hey, there was a time where people doubted men could build "flying" machines. so doubts arent always right or wrong
when they are in their cocoon form they are safest as they have no mouthpart, well if you are concerned about them "killing" your fish which i highly doubt but hey, there was a time where people doubted men could build "flying" machines. so doubts arent always right or wrong
Funny, I was just reading the other thread from last year where some folks got pwned bad sticking to a belief that this happens.
Here's why this myth has spread.
A sick gecko that was kept under temperature had one coming out of it once, but it was from it's cloaca.See, the gecko was too cold to digest the worm, so, with it partially protruding from it's cloaca , it was believed that the worm had eaten it's way out.
And any fish big enough to eat them will make short work of them with their pharyngeal teeth anyway.
And then there's stomach acid, even so, it wont happen.
The mandibles on these beetle larva aren't even close to capable enough, but as creepy as they look it adds to the myth.
No harm in this, though they are high in fat so make them just an occasional treat.
Hope that helps some.
Here's why this myth has spread.
A sick gecko that was kept under temperature had one coming out of it once, but it was from it's cloaca.See, the gecko was too cold to digest the worm, so, with it partially protruding from it's cloaca , it was believed that the worm had eaten it's way out.
And any fish big enough to eat them will make short work of them with their pharyngeal teeth anyway.
And then there's stomach acid, even so, it wont happen.
The mandibles on these beetle larva aren't even close to capable enough, but as creepy as they look it adds to the myth.
No harm in this, though they are high in fat so make them just an occasional treat.
Hope that helps some.
