Is It True....

[Kairi]

I read yesterday (after researching "dropsy" for what seemed like hours) that feeding worms (didn't say freeze dried, frozen or otherwise) to your fish is more likely to cause dropsy. The writer of the article said they hadn't had a case in a couple years after they stopped feeding their fish worms.

Now, if this is the case, what the heck to I feed them other than flake food?! They love their bloodworms! (the ones I buy are freeze dried)

 

[WILDER]

I feed my fish frozen and freezedried and my fish have never had dropsy, so i would take it with a pinch of salt.
I know live foods like tubilex can be abit dodgy.

 

[jayjay]

i've heard of freeze dried bloodworms causing constipation but nothing about drospy.

that's quite worring as a feed my fish bloodworms (frozen) quite often and what about fish that 'need' bloodworm like ADF's doubt it applies there.

 

[WILDER]

http/www.gsas.org/Articles/1997/tubifex.html

 

[Kairi]

maybe it's certain kinds of worms then. the article didn't say.

The consequence of feeding live Tubifex worms to African Cichlids is a disease known as ``Malawi Bloat'' which is a severe bacterial infection in the intestine (Malawi Cichlids have very long intestines because most of them are herbivores).

i read that the "malawi bloat" is essentially the same thing as dropsy. i almost bet this is the worms the article i read talked about.

thanks for helping me clear that up

 

[helsekia]

Ive never heard of that and I feed bloodworm at least twice a week and my fish have never had dropsy

 

[WILDER]

Best thing for a fish is a varied diet of frozen foods and veg.

 

[Kairi]

i have sundried shrimp (which the mollies like the tetras hate it), freeze dried bloodworms (i'm going to get frozen once i have a little money) and their regular food. they get peas once a week which everyone but the betta likes

 

[TipTop]

Well i've had 3 dwarf gouramis die from this in the last couple of months from when i started feeding them frozen bloodworm but every other type of fish has been fine in all 4 tanks

 

[andywg]

The "Malawi Bloat" which is mentioned is due to feeding very rich dead animals to fish that are meant to be herbiviorous. The digestive system is not really catered for that food.

It also worth remembering that bloodworms are not worms at all, but are the larvae of a type of mosquito.

 

[oneponygirl]

I feed my dwarf gourami (and the rest of them) frozen bloodworms with no problem. Maybe it's your supplier or maybe something else. My guy does make a real pig of himself though so I have to be very careful to not put too much in or he'll slirp them all up like spaghetti and get huge.