White worms or black

[Larry L]

Now just getting back into the discus when I was keeping we use white worms or back then tubifex where the main live food which I never used how does black worms compare to white worms when growing Discus. Really looking forward to the new Discus I just ordered from Hans.

[Second Hand Pat]

Why not both. I keep white worms cultures but also feed FD black worms which are very convenient to feed and the fish go crazy for them. I get my FDBWs from Al (aquaticsuppliers.com (http://www.aquaticsuppliers.com/Freeze-dried-foods_c2.htm)) who owns the forum :) so I get a two-fer; a killer food for the fish and directly supports the forum at the same time.
Pat

[Larry L]

Thanks Pat I just got his FDWSs they are awesome where can I get a starter for WW. And do you feed live BW.

[Second Hand Pat]

Thanks Pat I just got his FDWSs they are awesome where can I get a starter for WW. And do you feed live BW.

Larry, I feed live BW a while back but there is a concern about them being carriers of pathogens, bacteria and such. While I personally did not have issues with them I have read people have had issues and people who feed them for years and did not have issues. I decided it was not worth a possible risk and I feel the FDBWs fit the need nicely. Plus the live require that daily (or more) rinse which gets old and buying live is also expensive.

I got my white worms here http://www.angelsplus.com/FoodLiveCultures.htm. Second item down.
Pat

[DISCUS STU]

I'd stay from live blackworms for the reasons listed above, pathogens/bacteria, parasites. Tubifex are even worse, these are also getting very harder to find as local shops, the few left, don't want to stock them anymore. I've heard that white worms are pretty clean and pathogen free. I don't feed live food anymore, there's so many better substitutes for these but not necessarily frozen blood worms which also may carry pathogens.

The blackworms also require cleaning and their own maintenance requirements. Fdbw, frozen beef heart/turkey heart, Tetra Bits, etc, are excellent clean foods to feed. See the "Food and Nutrition" section of this forum.

[Kyla]

i dont feed any live foods for the same reasons above (and im too lazy to culture them).

between freeze dried tubifex and black worms, my discus prefer the black worms by FAR... they love love love them. i just bought some from al last month and they are definitely going to be kept on the menu from now on.