Left frozen bloodworms out all night

[isubrian]

I inadvertently left the frozen bloodworms that I feed my south american puffer out on the kitchen counter all night. They completely thawed. I did put them back in the freezer this morning, but will they still be safe for my little puffer, or should I purchase a new package?

 

[Bloo]

I would absolutely not risk it at all. For the couple of ££ or $$ versus the potential risk of mass death

 

[freddyk]

I concur - why take a such a risk.

 

[abstract]

would you eat thawed meat you left out overnight?

 

[CFC]

The bloodworms probably wouldnt harm the fish if they ate them, after all they will eat rotting carcasses in the wild but they would probably seriously mess up your water quallity so i wouldnt recomend using them. Besides rotting bloodworm absolutely stinks so you dont want to be defrosting it in your kitchen or front room.

 

[IMCL85]

agree with 2. The $ and life inside ur tank > a couple tablet of blood warm long run.

 

[Ethos]

Whats so harmful about it?

I might'a done something like that in my past and I still feed it to them, and all of them are still alive and healthy!

 

[glolite]

I defrost 1 cube of bloosworms at a time and keep them in the fridge overnight so they do 2 feeds. The rest I then add a bit of water to and put them on the garden. Having only 1 dwarf puffer who eats 2 bloodworms morning and evening means quite a bit of waste, and my other fish shouldn't have bloodworms daily. Raw meat can be kept for 24 hours under refridgeration.

 

[Dorkhedeos]

looks gross and smells gross, but fish will still eat it. it shouldnt be so bad that it will make the fish die, but you shouldnt feed them this often

 

[Ethos]

^
Well, I dont think people perposly set their blood worms out in the day tyo get hot, then continuesly feed them that.

 

[freddyk]

I think the whole point is - will it hurt them - probably not. Is it worth the risk - probably not.

 

[Boxcar Muzzdogg]

Once frozen fish food has been thawed it should not be refrozen because it loses most of its nutritional value. its best to get new bloodworms.

 

[Bignose]

Once frozen fish food has been thawed it should not be refrozen because it loses most of its nutritional value.

I would sure like to see some proof on this statement. Where did the nutrition go? I do not how how a physical change, the act of freezing or melting, changed what was in the substance to begin with?

 

[Boxcar Muzzdogg]

I would sure like to see some proof on this statement. Where did the nutrition go?

Anyone whos ever taken a basic foods class has learned that the nutrition inside food disolves into water, especially when the food is heated. When we boil vegetables, potatos for instance, the potatos lose a certain amount of nutrition (ie. minerals, vitamins) during the heating process. If we steam the potatos nutrition is lost, but less is lost because the nutrition cannot esacpe directly into a large amount of water. Of course we do not cook our bloodworms, but when they thaw, some of that nutrition escapes. Refreezing thawed wroms causes more nutrition loss, especially if the worms have been thawed for some time.

Where did I get this info specifiically pertaining to the loss of nutrition in bloodworms? I got it from books I have read as well as the experienced people who trained me for my current job. Also, You'll find in most decent aquarium guides a section on food, in which there is a rundown of the various types of food. If you notice, frozen food is more "nutritious" than freeze dried and flake food. Why is this? For the same reason its not ok to refreeze thawed bloodworms. The process of freeze drying causes significant nutrition loss. Also, from any basic food or chemistry class one knows that the application of or reduction of heat, or the dehydration, hydration or rehydration of a substance, especially food, causes that substances physical prperties to change (ie nutrition loss).

Sorry, I havent done any experiments or constructed any data charts. I'm guilty of taking the word of knowledgeable and credentialed authors as well as the corroboration of that knowledge by experienced aquarists.

 

[Bignose]

When you cook potatoes, they undergo a chemical change. That is, the change in temperature does not return them to its original state. I agree that some of the nutritional value may have left the bloodworms and entered the water, but there is a very small amount of water, and I would wager that not a very large amount left. But, the bloodworms were not cooked, they were thawed. If left at room temperature, it is very unlikely that the chemical reactions that would change the food occured.

Of course we do not cook our bloodworms, but when they thaw, some of that nutrition escapes. Refreezing thawed wroms causes more nutrition loss, especially if the worms have been thawed for some time.

Where does the nutriton go? Does it leave the little foil packages? How does it get out? Also, when they are frozen in the first place, aren't they placed in water? Wouldn't some nutriton enter the water, then, too? Why would a whole lot more enter the water just from freezing and re-thawing when it is still in its original package? Nothing has left the little foil container, right? -- It is conservation of mass, nothing has entered and nothing has left, so you must have the same stuff in there.

Now if they were growing mold or something similar, the mold or bacteria would be consuming the nutritional value of the food. Then, the old food would be less nutritous than the fresh food.

Also, I believe your information on freeze-dried food is incorrect. Freeze dried food retains almost all of it nutritonal value. All that is taken out of the food is the water. Exactly like when water evaporates from the tank, it is only pure water, leaving behind everything else. The freeze drying process is exactly the same -- only pure water is take out, leaving the food with the same nutritional value as when it started.

Just like all dried foods, you have to ensure it does not become moist or wet, as again bacteria or mold may grow in the food, and the growth of bacteria or mold does consume the nutritional value of the food. Otherwise, freeze dried food that is properly stored retains it nutritional value.