Nightcrawlers for Corals and Fish

[Reefs of Space]

I've been using nightcrawlers for about six months with excellent results. I figure they're mostly protein so I still feed a mixture of crushed New Life Spectrum and other dry foods inbetween worm feedings.

 

[Reefs of Space]

Anemones and LPS are what's mostly being fed the nightcrawlers. I've seen a noticeable difference in size since starting this new regimen. The first picture is when I started 6 months ago. Since then, it has split and almost doubled in size.

 

[mattgsa]

Will you please elaborate on how to you prepare the night crawlers for feeding?

 

[cracker]

Yes, do tell . I fed red wrigglers once upon a time . they are smaller the crawlers .I only had fish back then.

 

[Reefs of Space]

I rinse a few and put them in a container. They usually spew out some nasty stuff. So after a few minutes I'll usually rinse them again and the container. After that I cut one up with scissors and feed each piece (1/8-1/4") immediately straight to individual coral mouths. Each piece wriggles for about a minute so you get some agressive feeding responses. The corals practically snatch it from you.

 

[Reefs of Space]

Yes, do tell . I fed red wrigglers once upon a time . they are smaller the crawlers .I only had fish back then.

Red wrigglers work well too.

 

[cracker]

One could have a simple worm bed why not earth worms instead of white worms? You could harvest the smallest ones. seems easier than white worm cultures.
Do You buy your worms at the bait shop perhaps?

 

[Kamden Uelton]

I used to feed White and Grindal Worms, got amazing results from multiple picky fish (Hectors goby & Leopard Wrasse)

 

[Reefs of Space]

One could have a simple worm bed why not earth worms instead of white worms? You could harvest the smallest ones. seems easier than white worm cultures.
Do You buy your worms at the bait shop perhaps?

That was my train of thought too. Yes I get them from a bait shop that claims them to be organic, but that's questionable. I keep them in organic soils and peat

 

[Reefs of Space]

I used to feed White and Grindal Worms, got amazing results from multiple picky fish (Hectors goby & Leopard Wrasse)

Me too! My Banggai Cardinal fish wouldn't touch anything that wasn't alive. This was a very cost effective solution. And there's no rush to really get through them because they seem to live a while.

 

[cracker]

What do You feed the worms? this id interesting to me. I'd also love to give the neighbor kids some bait for fishing in a nearby creek.
according the white worms remain live in the saltwater longer though.

 

[Reefs of Space]

What do You feed the worms? this id interesting to me. I'd also love to give the neighbor kids some bait for fishing in a nearby creek.
according the white worms remain live in the saltwater longer though.

I just put some kitchen scraps in there like a few potato chunks and carrot tops. But not too much because I want to avoid potential rot and mold. It's kind of like vermicompost (composting with worms) but on a smaller scale. I'm just trying to keep them alive.

 

[mattgsa]

This is very interesting, I'm just curious what made you start feed night crawlers, that is not something I would have thought of? I'm assuming you bought your first batch at a bait shop and dropped in a new compost pile. Then just feed them from time to time. Correct?

 

[Reefs of Space]

This is very interesting, I'm just curious what made you start feed night crawlers, that is not something I would have thought of? I'm assuming you bought your first batch at a bait shop and dropped in a new compost pile. Then just feed them from time to time. Correct?

Well I was feeding blood worms and the store where I was getting live ones shut down. I tried frozen and it didn't go over too well. The fish just spit them back out and some seemed discolored like they didn't freeze right. So I figured worms are worms. Plus I had heard of people using white worms for fish food. So far so good! And yes I got them from a bait shop.

 

[Reefs of Space]

I'll probably get red worms "wrigglers" next time just because they are smaller and you get more of them by the pound. I also read that they do better in a compost type environment.

 

[cracker]

Then You could cull the much smaller baby's .

 

[revhtree Verified Admin]

Very interesting!

 

[revhtree Verified Admin]

Added a poll!

 

[Reefs of Space]

Then You could cull the much smaller baby's .

Yeah then you could avoid cutting them up except for feeding blastos and trumpets. They seem to be the slower eaters in my tank.

 

[Reefs of Space]

Added a poll!

Oh cool thanks man!