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Possable way to enhance live Blackworms

Paul B

NJRC Member
As I have been mentioning for decades I feed my fish live blackworms every day and IMO is the reason all my paired fish are spawning, I have never posted on a disease forum and I don't have to quarantine. I think I have found a way to make a great food even better. I have been experimenting and discovered that the live worms can live even if covered in fish oil instead of water. I really don't see how they breathe in there but I have kept batches of them alive for seven hours so far and think they only die if they dry out as they do overnight. When I study them through my antique microscope, the oil infused worms have much darker insides which I "assume" is from the fish oil penetrating the worms exterior or being ingested by the worms. I really don't care how the oil gets into the worms but I always want fish oil to get into my fish so I have been doing this every day to a portion of the worms I feed my fish.
After I soak them for a few hours I need to rinse the worms off or the oil will form a layer in my tank and the skimmer will stop for an hour. To remove the oil I put the worms in fresh water and wait for the oil to rise. Then I pour it out and re fill it. I do that a few times and then feed my tank. Remember, this is only an experiment.
I love it. :D
 

MadReefer

Staff member
NJRC Member
Moderator
Paul, do you think the worms live longer this way? Also, where do you get live black worms these days?
 

Paul B

NJRC Member
I doubt the worms will live longer being covered in fish oil as they are water creatures. I just like to get as much fish oil into my fish as I can but even without the oil, IMO blackworms are the best food there is and I would not be in this hobby if I could not get live worms. That's how much I rely on them. Blackworms are sold in most pet shops here in New York
 

MadReefer

Staff member
NJRC Member
Moderator
There it is NY. I have not seen any in NJ in many years and online offers a very large amount that most would die before I could use them. I use to feed my fresh water tank live tubifex, black, and blood worms all the time. As time went on these mom n pop stores closed and box store don't carry them.
 

Mark_C

Staff member
Officer Emeritus
NJRC Member
Moderator
Cool deal, thanks for posting. I'm raising blackworms atm, I'll start to soak them in oil the night before I serve them up.
 

Paul B

NJRC Member
If you soak them in oil, remove most of the water first or the oil will just float. Just before you want to feed them to your fish, fill their container a few times and pour it out to remove the floating oil. It makes a mess.
 
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