Glassworms ?

[roger]

I found a local (well semi-local) store that sells frozen foods in some rather large bulk sizes. One of the things that I spotted that I was wondering about was glass worms. A 2.5lb package is $17 or so and I wondering if it was something that would be good for discus.

What Im trying to figure is what size discus should get the food and if it was of any real nutritional value.

BTW
Pre-Processed beefheart is 29$ for 8lbs
Bloodworms are $6.50 for 1lb
Brine Shrimp are $6.75 for 1lb

[Fish_Fin-atic]

Roger, Glassworms are really the larva of a fly called a Midge. They can be found in large densities in some of the northern lakes in the winter, and even through the ice. When the ice comes off of the lakes, you can sometimes take a large aquarium net, and swish it through the surface of the water along a dock, and it will soon fill up with Glassworms (at least where I'm from). Midges are those anoying flies that form a tornado cloud just above your head when you're by a lake in the spring (Lake Ontario), and when there's a hatch, there's MILLIONS if not TRILLIONS of these little critters.

here are a few links with information about Glassworms
http://www.naturegrid.org.uk/pondexplorer/gallery/phantom.html
http://www.northstar.k12.ak.us/schools/upk/deadman/glassworms/glassworms.html
http://www.nativefish.org/Articles/Glassworms.htm

This is a quote taken from the last link,

I have also been told by the person who now collects glassworms that they offer a nutritional advantage over brine shrimp. He had the dry weights of both analyzed by a lab and glassworms came out on top in protein. I admit this is hardly an unbiased account form someone who is trying to market a product, but I have seen the positive effects on fish when feeding glassworms. One of the most remarkable changes I have witnessed occurred late this summer on some gilt darters Don and I collected a year ago. By summers end, they were a sorry sight having been feed only frozen brine shrimp. Their bellies were flat and all traces of gold had vanished. Within one month of feeding glassworms, they had all filled out and the rich colors had returned.


IMO, Glassworms would be very similar to bloodworms with regards to nutrition. I think you'd be fine feeding them to fish 1.5" and all the way up to adults. If you can collect live ones, I am absolutely sure that your Discus will LOVE them! And any live food will do them good. I'd give the frozen ones a shot, I'll bet they like them too. If you do try it, let us know how it went.

[discus_nw]

I used to feed them alot. There used to be a lfs in the tacoma area that sold them live. My discus loved them.

[Steve_Warner]

Hi all,
I feed my fish a cube every day, along with bloodworms. My discus love them! I'd love to find some live ones 'round here, but since I live in a desert ::)

Steve

[Jason]

when someone posted info about them awile back, I took my dog and a old net and went to the golf course down the street from my place.

punched a hole on the pond they have there with a creek running through it connecting it to natural waterways.

I netted up some critters that looked like glassworms I guess, they were kinda different than the frozen ones I've had.

only got about a dozen after freezing my a$$ off for 20 minutes, so went home and never found the time to try again :( I put them in the fridge they lived for about a week, although I shouldhave went back as I saw a huge school of tiny minnows through the hole in the ice, I think they beat me too the glassworms.

[discus_nw]

The difference you saw may be to the naming being done by some frozen fish food processors. Some call white mosquito larvae glass worms, and we all know that they are different creatures.