What do you guys think about this? Are there drawbacks to having worm populations established in an aquarium? I've been thinking about seeding bloodworms into there, if you have suggestions on better worms that would be good too, since I'll be adding darters sooner or later. I'm just not sure about issues caused by worms, like parasites, or over-infestation or stuff like that.
Seeding worms into an established tank
Started by
strat guy
, Apr 24 2015 08:17 PM
5 replies to this topic
#1
strat guy
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- NANFA Guest
- Orland Park, IL
Posted 24 April 2015 - 08:17 PM
120 low tech native planted - Blackstriped Topminnow, Central Stoneroller, Fathead minnow, Golden Shiner, Black chin shiner, Carmine Shiner, Emerald Shiner, Sand Shiner, Spotfin Shiner, Orangethroat darter, Johnny Darter, and Banded Darter.
#2
Michael Wolfe
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- Board of Directors
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- North Georgia, Oconee River Drainage
Posted 24 April 2015 - 08:22 PM
I thought that bloodworms were a larva of a flying midge or something... so having a group of live ones in an aquarium would not seem compatible with the indoor living standards that the lovely Dr. Gerri has grown accustom to... so thats a no go in my house.
Either write something worth reading or do something worth writing. - Benjamin Franklin
#3
Cu455
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- NANFA Guest
Posted 24 April 2015 - 08:43 PM
My koi tank had a population of blackworms in it. I used to catch them in a filter sock when syphoning my gravel and give them away. I tried seeding them in sand bottom tanks and it never worked out.
Edited by Cu455, 24 April 2015 - 08:43 PM.
#4
gerald
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- Global Moderator
- Wake Forest, North Carolina
Posted 25 April 2015 - 12:43 PM
As Michael said, bloodworms will turn into midges and fly out (although I doubt they'd get past the fish). The best worm to live and reproduce in a tank would be blackworms (Lumbriculus), but I still think they'll get eaten faster than they reproduce, unless you have just a few small fish in a large tank and put a lot of worms in. Erica did this with Elassoma in a 55 gal and only occasionally had to buy more worms. Naidid worms also colonize most fish tanks. Those are the skinny white or pale tan segmented worms that crawl on the glass or swim like little eels when stirred up from the gravel.
Gerald Pottern
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Hangin' on the Neuse
"Taxonomy is the diaper used to organize the mess of evolution into discrete packages" - M.Sandel
#5
strat guy
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- NANFA Guest
- Orland Park, IL
Posted 28 April 2015 - 07:47 PM
Yeah I get glassworks pretty frequently. There's enough of them in the substrate that I can see them crawling around in there. I was interested in seeding them because I have nothing right now that would actively hunt them, so they could populate for a while before I start adding fish that would eat them. If its not worth it, then meh.
120 low tech native planted - Blackstriped Topminnow, Central Stoneroller, Fathead minnow, Golden Shiner, Black chin shiner, Carmine Shiner, Emerald Shiner, Sand Shiner, Spotfin Shiner, Orangethroat darter, Johnny Darter, and Banded Darter.
#6
NotCousteau
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- NANFA Guest
- Minnesota
Posted 28 April 2015 - 10:25 PM
I haven't tried seeding blackworms but I did just start feeding live blackworms this week to my 33 long native tank and my 10 gallon tropical tank. The worms haven't survived the 33, but I noticed a lot making their way into the gravel in the 10.
I've seen my loaches in the 10 sucking them out of the gravel, and it's pretty cool! I'm hoping they do start a colony, but it's too early to say how it's going. I say it's worth a try.
I've seen my loaches in the 10 sucking them out of the gravel, and it's pretty cool! I'm hoping they do start a colony, but it's too early to say how it's going. I say it's worth a try.
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