bloodworms

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eh hello.
you know the way you get a small block of frozen bloodworms from the
freezer and the whole block of frozen bloodworms is always too much for
the fish in your tank?so i get a penknife or something and cut the
block in half or in quarters or whatever. well, i was wondering
couldn't i just de-frost the whole one cube of frozen BWs steeped in
water so that i dont have to cut up the things and it goes really messy
and all over the place and is too much hassle. my question is if you
leave the bloodworms in water (not in the tank) so you can feed your
fish from that throughout the week or whatever, would it be bad for
your fish's health because possibly it goes off ?

[Billy]

> wrote in message
oups.com...
> eh hello.
> you know the way you get a small block of frozen bloodworms from
> the
> freezer and the whole block of frozen bloodworms is always too much
> for
> the fish in your tank?so i get a penknife or something and cut the
> block in half or in quarters or whatever. well, i was wondering
> couldn't i just de-frost the whole one cube of frozen BWs steeped
> in
> water so that i dont have to cut up the things and it goes really
> messy
> and all over the place and is too much hassle. my question is if
> you
> leave the bloodworms in water (not in the tank) so you can feed
> your
> fish from that throughout the week or whatever, would it be bad for
> your fish's health because possibly it goes off ?

Yes, once immersed in water, the worms will begin to spoil. Slicing a
bit off the frozen cube is by far the best, but you may be able to
let it air-thaw, remove a bit, then place it in the refrigerator (in
a container) for a few days, though myself, I'd prefer to avoid the
risk and just slice off the frozen cube.

billy

[Larry Blanchard]

On Mon, 05 Dec 2005 05:30:03 -0800, Billy wrote:


> > wrote in message
>> i was wondering couldn't i
>> just de-frost the whole one cube of frozen BWs steeped in water so that
>> i dont have to cut up the things and it goes really messy and all over
>> the place and is too much hassle. m
>
> Yes, once immersed in water, the worms will begin to spoil.

I put the block in a plastic bag and beat on it with a hammer. I wind up
with small pieces, from pea-sized to grape-sized. At feeding time, I hold
a spoon under hot water to warm it, then put in a piece and dribble a few
drops of hot water on top. Thaws out in less than 5 minutes. Then I use
an eyedropper to put the thawed worms into the tank a little at a time.

Did you know a betta can put tooth marks into a plastic eyedropper? :-)

[Koi-lo]

> wrote in message
oups.com...
> eh hello.
> you know the way you get a small block of frozen bloodworms from the
> freezer and the whole block of frozen bloodworms is always too much for
> the fish in your tank?so i get a penknife or something and cut the
> block in half or in quarters or whatever. well, i was wondering
> couldn't i just de-frost the whole one cube of frozen BWs steeped in
> water so that i dont have to cut up the things and it goes really messy
> and all over the place and is too much hassle. my question is if you
> leave the bloodworms in water (not in the tank) so you can feed your
> fish from that throughout the week or whatever, would it be bad for
> your fish's health because possibly it goes off ?
================================
I do exactly what you suggested. I thaw them in a little water and feed them
to the fish using a medicine type eyedropper. They will keep for a week in
the coldest part of the fridge. Anything left over after 7 days I would
toss. If you use a straight edge razor blade (be careful) to slice the cube
you need not thaw the whole thing.
--

Koi-Lo.... frugal ponding since 1995...
My Pond & Aquarium Pages:
http://bellsouthpwp.net/s/h/shastadaisy
~~~ }<((((o> ~~~ }<{{{{o> ~~~ }<(((((o>

[Tynk]

wrote:
> eh hello.
> you know the way you get a small block of frozen bloodworms from the
> freezer and the whole block of frozen bloodworms is always too much for
> the fish in your tank?so i get a penknife or something and cut the
> block in half or in quarters or whatever. well, i was wondering
> couldn't i just de-frost the whole one cube of frozen BWs steeped in
> water so that i dont have to cut up the things and it goes really messy
> and all over the place and is too much hassle. my question is if you
> leave the bloodworms in water (not in the tank) so you can feed your
> fish from that throughout the week or whatever, would it be bad for
> your fish's health because possibly it goes off ?

No, you can't re-freeze Bloodworms after they've been thawed.
If you find that the cubed frozen Bloodworms are too much food, they do
make packs that are flat. That way you can snap off a little chunk and
thaw what you need.
Look for it the freezer at your pet shop.
FYI..If you can find Hikari brand, buy it. You and your fish will love
it.

[Tynk]

Koi-lo wrote:
> > wrote in message
> oups.com...
> > eh hello.
> > you know the way you get a small block of frozen bloodworms from the
> > freezer and the whole block of frozen bloodworms is always too much for
> > the fish in your tank?so i get a penknife or something and cut the
> > block in half or in quarters or whatever. well, i was wondering
> > couldn't i just de-frost the whole one cube of frozen BWs steeped in
> > water so that i dont have to cut up the things and it goes really messy
> > and all over the place and is too much hassle. my question is if you
> > leave the bloodworms in water (not in the tank) so you can feed your
> > fish from that throughout the week or whatever, would it be bad for
> > your fish's health because possibly it goes off ?
> ================================
> I do exactly what you suggested. I thaw them in a little water and feed them
> to the fish using a medicine type eyedropper. They will keep for a week in
> the coldest part of the fridge. Anything left over after 7 days I would
> toss. If you use a straight edge razor blade (be careful) to slice the cube
> you need not thaw the whole thing.
> --
>
> Koi-Lo.... frugal ponding since 1995...
> My Pond & Aquarium Pages:
> http://bellsouthpwp.net/s/h/shastadaisy
> ~~~ }<((((o> ~~~ }<{{{{o> ~~~ }<(((((o>

They will keep for a week in
> the coldest part of the fridge
A week? That's way too long. You shouldn't be keeping it 24 hours, let
alone a week.

[Koi-lo]

"Tynk" > wrote in message
oups.com...
==================
> A week? That's way too long. You shouldn't be keeping it 24 hours, let
> alone a week.
~~~~~~~~~~~
Yes, they last a WEEK in my fridge which is kept at 34 - 35F (top shelf).
If they only last 24 hours in your fridge, your fridge is too warm.
--

Koi-Lo.... frugal ponding since 1995...
My Pond & Aquarium Pages:
http://bellsouthpwp.net/s/h/shastadaisy
~~~ }<((((o> ~~~ }<{{{{o> ~~~ }<(((((o>

[Gill Passman]

Koi-lo wrote:
>
> "Tynk" > wrote in message
> oups.com...
> ==================
>
>> A week? That's way too long. You shouldn't be keeping it 24 hours, let
>> alone a week.
>
> ~~~~~~~~~~~
> Yes, they last a WEEK in my fridge which is kept at 34 - 35F (top shelf).
> If they only last 24 hours in your fridge, your fridge is too warm.

I look at it along the lines of how long I would keep meat that has been
defrosted and then eat it without any health implications - normally I
will throw out after 24 hours

Gill

[Koi-lo]

"Gill Passman" > wrote in message
.. .
> Koi-lo wrote:
>>
>> "Tynk" > wrote in message
>> oups.com...
>> ==================
>>
>>> A week? That's way too long. You shouldn't be keeping it 24 hours, let
>>> alone a week.
>>
>> ~~~~~~~~~~~
>> Yes, they last a WEEK in my fridge which is kept at 34 - 35F (top shelf).
>> If they only last 24 hours in your fridge, your fridge is too warm.
>
> I look at it along the lines of how long I would keep meat that has been
> defrosted and then eat it without any health implications - normally I
> will throw out after 24 hours
>
> Gill
=======================
That depends on the meat and how cold the fridge is kept. The top shelf of
my fridge stays at barely above the freezing point. I sometimes find a thin
coat of ice on the water's surface (or surface of milk or yogurt). I always
"sniff" the fishfood and if there's an off odor I do toss it. That seldom
happens because it rarely lasts more than a few days with all the fish I
have. :-)
If you're one of those people who keep a warmer fridge, then I would say 4
or 5 days max. Fish will nibble at stinky dead rotten fish and not get
sick.... go figure!
--
Koi-Lo.... frugal ponding since 1995...
My Pond & Aquarium Pages:
http://bellsouthpwp.net/s/h/shastadaisy
~~~ }<((((o> ~~~ }<{{{{o> ~~~ }<(((((o>

[Bill Stock]

"Larry Blanchard" > wrote in message
...
> On Mon, 05 Dec 2005 05:30:03 -0800, Billy wrote:
>
>
>> > wrote in message
>>> i was wondering couldn't i
>>> just de-frost the whole one cube of frozen BWs steeped in water so that
>>> i dont have to cut up the things and it goes really messy and all over
>>> the place and is too much hassle. m
>>
>> Yes, once immersed in water, the worms will begin to spoil.
>
> I put the block in a plastic bag and beat on it with a hammer. I wind up
> with small pieces, from pea-sized to grape-sized. At feeding time, I hold
> a spoon under hot water to warm it, then put in a piece and dribble a few
> drops of hot water on top. Thaws out in less than 5 minutes. Then I use
> an eyedropper to put the thawed worms into the tank a little at a time.
>
> Did you know a betta can put tooth marks into a plastic eyedropper? :-)

LOL, I give my little piggies two cubes per feeding (weekends only). No
wonder I don't have to add Nitrates for the plants.

[fish lover]

Too bad PetSmart where I live does not carry Hikari brand any more.
They used to and it has vitamins in it. Now they have a different
brand and I have to add drops of vitamins to it.

I just toss the amount my fish can not eat. I'm hoping they can grow a
bit bigger in a month or two so I can feed them all. I used to have a
cat fish that would take care of the rest left by the 6 discus. I had
to gave him away to the LFS because he is getting aggressive against
the discus. Plus, he is 5 " long and bit big for the 3" discus.

I use a plastic cup to get some of the water from the tank, which is
warm. Put the BW cube in it and let it set for few minutes, then I
kind or make the water in the cup go around to lose the BL, then dump
most of the water out to the sink. When feeding, I just add some more
water from the tank (a drop or two of the vitamins once a day) and
release a small amount of water with BW at a time. Watch the fish and
stop from time to time to let them finsh the BW. When they kind of
stopped eating, I just toss away the rest.

I keep my tank temp very high (88 F) so any leftover is bad. I'd
rather toss it than left it in the tank.
>
wrote:
>> eh hello.
>> you know the way you get a small block of frozen bloodworms from the
>> freezer and the whole block of frozen bloodworms is always too much for
>> the fish in your tank?so i get a penknife or something and cut the
>> block in half or in quarters or whatever. well, i was wondering
>> couldn't i just de-frost the whole one cube of frozen BWs steeped in
>> water so that i dont have to cut up the things and it goes really messy
>> and all over the place and is too much hassle. my question is if you
>> leave the bloodworms in water (not in the tank) so you can feed your
>> fish from that throughout the week or whatever, would it be bad for
>> your fish's health because possibly it goes off ?
>
>No, you can't re-freeze Bloodworms after they've been thawed.
>If you find that the cubed frozen Bloodworms are too much food, they do
>make packs that are flat. That way you can snap off a little chunk and
>thaw what you need.
>Look for it the freezer at your pet shop.
>FYI..If you can find Hikari brand, buy it. You and your fish will love
>it.

[Victor Martinez]

wrote:
> you know the way you get a small block of frozen bloodworms from the
> freezer and the whole block of frozen bloodworms is always too much for
> the fish in your tank?so i get a penknife or something and cut the

Better yet, buy the bloodworms in planks instead of cubes. It's cheaper
and easier to dose. :)

--
Victor M. Martinez
Owned and operated by the Fantastic Seven (TM)
Send your spam here:
Email me here:

[fish lover]

Hmmm...., I just don't like to touch the bw when trying to break them
apart. Any easy way to avoid that?

wrote:
>> you know the way you get a small block of frozen bloodworms from the
>> freezer and the whole block of frozen bloodworms is always too much for
>> the fish in your tank?so i get a penknife or something and cut the
>
>Better yet, buy the bloodworms in planks instead of cubes. It's cheaper
>and easier to dose. :)

[Victor Martinez]

fish lover wrote:
> Hmmm...., I just don't like to touch the bw when trying to break them
> apart. Any easy way to avoid that?

They come in neat little zip-loc bags. You don't have to touch them at all.

--
Victor M. Martinez
Owned and operated by the Fantastic Seven (TM)
Send your spam here:
Email me here:

[Gail Futoran]

"fish lover" > wrote in message
...
> Hmmm...., I just don't like to touch the bw when trying to break them
> apart. Any easy way to avoid that?

I have a pair of scissors and a measuring cup
dedicated to fish tank use. The bloodworms
that come flat (in a plastic baggie) can be cut at
the thin leading edge with the scissors into a cup
containing nonchlorinated water. Dump the
thawing bloodworms into the tank. No need to
touch anything.

Gail

[Larry Blanchard]

On Mon, 05 Dec 2005 21:43:40 -0500, fish lover wrote:

> Hmmm...., I just don't like to touch the bw when trying to break them
> apart. Any easy way to avoid that?
>

Unless you have an allergy specific to bloodworms, you're more likely o
cach something by dipping your fingers in the tank than you are from
touching mosquito larvae :-).

If you can't overcome your squeamishness, get some latex gloves. If
you're in the states, Harbor Freight sells boxes of 100 pretty cheap.

[fish lover]

Thanks guys/gals. I think I'm switching to the flat ones.

>Hmmm...., I just don't like to touch the bw when trying to break them
>apart. Any easy way to avoid that?
>
wrote:
>>> you know the way you get a small block of frozen bloodworms from the
>>> freezer and the whole block of frozen bloodworms is always too much for
>>> the fish in your tank?so i get a penknife or something and cut the
>>
>>Better yet, buy the bloodworms in planks instead of cubes. It's cheaper
>>and easier to dose. :)

[Dr Engelbert Buxbaum]

wrote:

> eh hello.
> you know the way you get a small block of frozen bloodworms from the
> freezer and the whole block of frozen bloodworms is always too much for
> the fish in your tank?

They should be used immediately after thawing, similar to frozen food
used for humans. Otherwise fish may simply refuse to eat the stuff, or
suffer food poissoning.

There is another aspect to this: Bloodworms and similar food organisms
are highly allergenic. Direct contact should be minimised, use gloves.

[Koi-lo]

"Dr Engelbert Buxbaum" > wrote in message
...
> wrote:
>
>> eh hello.
>> you know the way you get a small block of frozen bloodworms from the
>> freezer and the whole block of frozen bloodworms is always too much for
>> the fish in your tank?
>
> They should be used immediately after thawing, similar to frozen food
> used for humans. Otherwise fish may simply refuse to eat the stuff, or
> suffer food poissoning.

Once thawed it needs to be kept refrigerated. I've used these products for
years without a problem. They shouldn't be left sitting on a counter
somewhere.

> There is another aspect to this: Bloodworms and similar food organisms
> are highly allergenic. Direct contact should be minimised, use gloves.

All they are are midgefly larvae, why would they cause allergic reactions in
the average person? Do you know of any research done on this?
--

Koi-Lo.... frugal ponding since 1995...
My Pond & Aquarium Pages:
http://bellsouthpwp.net/s/h/shastadaisy
~~~ }<((((o> ~~~ }<{{{{o> ~~~ }<(((((o>

[Marco Schwarz]

Hi..

> They should be used immediately after thawing, similar to
> frozen food used for humans.

Yes!

> There is another aspect to this: Bloodworms and similar
> food organisms are highly allergenic.

I agree, too! But _less_ people show such reactions.

> Direct contact
> should be minimised, use gloves.

Did you possibly read me latest statement in drta? *g*
--
cu
Marco

[Andrew]

Koi-lo on Dec 8, 3:04 am wrote:

>> There is another aspect to this: Bloodworms and similar food organisms
>> are highly allergenic. Direct contact should be minimised, use gloves.
>
>All they are are midgefly larvae, why would they cause allergic reactions in
>the average person? Do you know of any research done on this?

Chironomus larvae are well documented as causing allergic reactions,
particularly upon repeated exposure. Contact with the bloodworm's
haemoglobins results in an IgE mediated response. Do a search on Pubmed
or Medline to pull up a bundle of papers on the subject.
Andrew

[Koi-lo]

"Andrew" > wrote in message
oups.com...
> Koi-lo on Dec 8, 3:04 am wrote:
>
>>> There is another aspect to this: Bloodworms and similar food organisms
>>> are highly allergenic. Direct contact should be minimised, use gloves.
>>
>>All they are are midgefly larvae, why would they cause allergic reactions
>>in
>>the average person? Do you know of any research done on this?
>
> Chironomus larvae are well documented as causing allergic reactions,
> particularly upon repeated exposure. Contact with the bloodworm's
> haemoglobins results in an IgE mediated response. Do a search on Pubmed
> or Medline to pull up a bundle of papers on the subject.
> Andrew
=====================
I'll take your word for it. :-) Thanks........
--
Koi-Lo.... frugal ponding since 1995...
My Pond & Aquarium Pages:
http://bellsouthpwp.net/s/h/shastadaisy
~~~ }<((((o> ~~~ }<{{{{o> ~~~ }<(((((o>

[Dr Engelbert Buxbaum]

Marco Schwarz wrote:

> Hi..
>
> > They should be used immediately after thawing, similar to
> > frozen food used for humans.
>
> Yes!
>
> > There is another aspect to this: Bloodworms and similar
> > food organisms are highly allergenic.
>
> I agree, too! But _less_ people show such reactions.

My fish dealer of lowest distrust is allergic to Tubifex, others are to
red bloodworms. Seems to be a condition that is not so rare after all.
Of course, there are many more who are not. But why take chances if the
solution is so simple? And frankly, I am not so keen on handling the
critters with bare hands anyway (call me squeemish if you want).

> Did you possibly read me latest statement in drta? *g*

I do recall a recent discussion on the general topic.