Red wrigglers as a grow out food

[Aeon]

Hi, I'm aware there's a sticky on red wrigglers but it seems more focused on culturing them rather than their nutritional value for discus. I know discus need high protein diets to grow and I was wondering if these would make a good alternative to Beefheart. I'm a vegetarian and hate handling meat products. I know feeding worms might sound hypocritical but I do accept that some animals eat others. I have a good culture going, and will always be able to find bite sized worms for any size of fish. Will the below diet be ok?

3-4 feedings of earthworms a day
2-3 feedings of quality flake and pellets, including algae wafers

I also will keep a worm feeder with bloodworms in from time to time, and I sometimes keep a peice of boiled lettuce tied to a rock for fish to nibble on and they all seem to love it!

[Skip]

Feed earthworms how.. live?

[Second Hand Pat]

Feed earthworms how.. live?

Yup, feed red wigglers live. I am feeding them to my juvies I just got from Kenny. Now I feed them a couple a week vs daily. Not sure how they compare to BH.

[Aeon]

Yup, live and wriggling! I've been feeding earthworms to all my other fish and amhibians and they've all shown a good increase in health since I started. I got them in all sizes so even juvie discus can slurp them up! An article I read once said that they are nearly 90% protein. That must be good for growth right?

Got my own culture going so they're safe and cost-free! I sometimes run out of adult worms, but I can just dig them out from the forest behind the school where i teach :)

[dirtyplants]

OK Pat

How did you get them to eat the worms? Mine just run away from them.

[Aeon]

some larger worms can intimidate fish. However I feed tiny ones that they can easily slurp up and they go crazy for them.

Maybe try chopping them into smaller pieces first? Once they get the taste of them they'll hunt them down like anything. Of course I only have experience with other cichlids and not discus :P

[Second Hand Pat]

OK Pat

How did you get them to eat the worms? Mine just run away from them.

I use the smaller red wigglers, give them a rinse and add them to the tank. The worms easily live until eaten or removed at the next wc. They rarely leave much of the worms.

[dirtyplants]

Ok you guys will give a try again. :) I found as soon as the worms whole or chopped are in their mouths they spit them out look at them on the bottom and then ask for more and then do it again.

[Second Hand Pat]

Click on the picture...

http://i925.photobucket.com/albums/ad95/Second_Hand_Pat/Worm%20Bins/th_VIDEO0014.jpg (http://i925.photobucket.com/albums/ad95/Second_Hand_Pat/Worm%20Bins/VIDEO0014.mp4)

[dirtyplants]

I thought I was watching a football game:) Did they ever eat them? Steeling them seemed to excite them as much as the worm itself.

[Second Hand Pat]

They did once they broke them down to smaller pieces.

[100fuegos]

I have two big cultures going. Feed at least 18 adults rw two or three times per week sometimes more. They love to play with them as much as to eat them.

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[TheBigB]

Make sure to purge all the dirt from the worms before feeding them to your fish.

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[100fuegos]

Make sure to purge all the dirt from the worms before feeding them to your fish.

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No need to.

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[Kal-El]

Where do you guys get these red worms from? Any parasite issue to worry about when feeding live food like black worms?

[Second Hand Pat]

Where do you guys get these red worms from? Any parasite issue to worry about when feeding live food like black worms?

Since red wigglers are terrestrial then is not the concern regarding parasites like with live black worms.

[TheBigB]

No need to.

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Why not? I've always done this and thought it was nessesary. Do you really want all that dirt and other sh** passing through your fish's digestive system?

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[100fuegos]

Yes, no problem with it. It is vegetable matter after all. Just a quick clean with tap water to clean the mud and plop.

[TheBigB]

Yes, no problem with it. It is vegetable matter after all. Just a quick clean with tap water to clean the mud and plop.

Good to know

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[DiscusLoverJeff]

I just started my pairs on red wigglers. I am finding the smaller ones and cutting them in half until the discus get use to them.

[Kal-El]

Where's the best location to get these red worms? Bait shop?

[DiscusLoverJeff]

I got mine from Uncle Jims Worm Farm and a starter group from Brandon!

http://unclejimswormfarm.com/

[TheBigB]

http://unclejimswormfarm.com/

[Bill63SG]

Where's the best location to get these red worms? Bait shop?

I got mine from Cousin Brandon.I you want to give it a try,Ill check my bin and see if I have enough to break some off to give you a started culture.

[Aeon]

I know that worms, being significantly different from fish in physiology, are unable to harbor any pathogens or parasites that can harm a discus. Only thing to look out for would be ferts or pesticides.

[Keith Perkins]

I got mine from Cousin Brandon.I you want to give it a try,Ill check my bin and see if I have enough to break some off to give you a started culture.

Me too and I've got the picture to prove it.

http://i1180.photobucket.com/albums/x418/CozyKeith/IMG_0605_zps682fa3e4.jpg (http://s1180.photobucket.com/user/CozyKeith/media/IMG_0605_zps682fa3e4.jpg.html)

[TheBigB]

Haha Awesome vest

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[Second Hand Pat]

I know that worms, being significantly different from fish in physiology, are unable to harbor any pathogens or parasites that can harm a discus. Only thing to look out for would be ferts or pesticides.

That is why maintaining your own colony is best. I currently have four bins.

[Tankster]

Any problems with odor? I'm thinking this would be a great way to save $$$ but don't want to stink up the house more than my three teenager already do.

[Second Hand Pat]

Nope and they are quiet too. :D

[Bill63SG]

Any problems with odor? I'm thinking this would be a great way to save $$$ but don't want to stink up the house more than my three teenager already do.

I think the worms will complain about the teenager smell before you complain about the worms.I can only speake for myself,Ive been feeding mine melon rinds,and I dont smell anything.Just an "earthy" smell when I lift thier lid.

[Keith Perkins]

You'll smell whatever you're feeding them when you lift the lid, but that's about it. I fed melons during the summer and fall, now I'm feeding bananas and apples.

[Second Hand Pat]

Ripe bananas make lots of baby worms.

[Bill63SG]

Ripe bananas make lots of baby worms.
Good to know.I took cantaloupe for lunch all summer,so I froze a bunch of the rinds,works well,

[Kal-El]

I got mine from Cousin Brandon.I you want to give it a try,Ill check my bin and see if I have enough to break some off to give you a started culture.

Sounds good Bill... see if you can bring some to my place on the 18th when we gather at my place to car pool...

[Aeon]

So I guess red wrigglers are nutritious and safe food for discus! Just wanted to point out too that a good colony of wrigglers is smell free, low maintenance, a good natural waste disposal, and a great source of organic fertilizer! Just take the castings from the bottom of the bin and spread it on your garden plants ;)

I get my worms from the forest behind the school where I teach, I'm always running out of adults and have to keep restocking those because my newts just eat them at such a fast rate. As for babies though, I can't pull a fistfull of soil from my bin without grabbing a few!