Tubifex

[kiriyama]

Hi was in my LFS last week, was just buying stress coat and accu-clear, anyway they had some live food in, havn't put live food in for a while so I bought a pack of Brine Shrimp, they also had Tubifex, took a pack home, when in the house I thought it was dead 'cos it was just like a ball and not moving, I filtered with coffee filter and tipped it in, the heat must have kick started it as it became a wriggling mass, it didn't last long as the fish destroyed it.
Anyway to the question, I remembered NOT buying Tubifex when I had my axolotls as it was not safe and carried parasites, is it safe nowadays or have I just introduced something to my tank I shouldn't have?
Any correspondence greatly appreciated

 

[MewMew42]

just to start off i love your user name and picture!

i found this, Its not mine!

Like earthworms (who eat dirt) tubifex worms eat whatever material they are raised in. Brace yourself .... most tubifex worms are raised in trout pond run-offs, which means they live on fish manure. Needless to say that makes them potential hotbeds for transmitting bacterial or parasitic infections. Disgusting?? Yes! But freshwater fish love tubifex worms and thrive on them if they are cleaned properly. Start by purchasing your tubifex worms from a reputable store, then carefully examine the water they are housed in. It should be clear - if it isn't, don't purchase them. Place your worms in a large container, and 3-4 times a day rinse them thoroughly until the water runs clear. Store them in the refrigerator and examine the water each morning ... if the water is clear they are clean. Don't feed them to your fish until the water is clear! I've discovered that the quality of tubifex will vary from store to store, so if you locate good ones (worms that clean quickly as opposed to ones who are still fouling the water after many days) make note of the supplier.

 

[Harlequins]

I have fed mine freeze dried cube of tubifex before now,tank looks like a snowstorm after,fish do enjoy it though.

Would freeze dried be safer than live?

I don't very often feed live food has its not available that much..

 

[WILDER]

Freeze dried tubilex is meant to be safe. But don't over feed it as it can lead to swim bladder and constipation.

 

[Harlequins]

Freeze dried tubilex is meant to be safe. But don't over feed it as it can lead to swim bladder and constipation.

Thanks wilder .I had a pygmy floating around the tank the other day,honestly thought he was a goner,that was the day after i feed them tubifex,would that have been the cause???

 

[kelly528]

Don't ask me how but I have heard that freeze-dried can carry parasite. Go figure. for other reasons I never feed fd anyways.

I do however recommend the Tubifex Worms by Hikari. They are sterilised very well.

I think the reason people are wary of tubifex is that it is rumored to be collected from sewage outflows. Although by the time you are paying $6 for a few ounces of frozen I'm sure they are cultured in a clean lab. Can't say the same for live though... who knows where they come from!!!

 

[WILDER]

wilder .I had a pygmy floating around the tank the other day,honestly thought he was a goner,that was the day after i feed them tubifex,would that have been the cause???

Did he bloat up.
Try and only feed abit of the tubilex. Cut the cube in half.

 

[WILDER]

Scroll down to freeze dried foods.
http/www.flippersandfins.net/SwimbladderDisease.htm

 

[dave_oddballs]

i have never had a fish that ate tubifex worms, i have a full packet of frozen tubifex in my freezer just sat there as nothing will eat it, it makes more mess than its worth and i find it quite worthless really, i personally wouldn't recommend it to anyone!

 

[kiriyama]

Cheers folks, the water in the pouch did look clean and my fish are still pretty active, maybe thats one treat best kept off the menu just to be safe, usually feed them a variety of flake and frozen, although funnily enough they never seem to fussed about the frozen cichlid diet I use, hmmm, maybe the're spoiled....
Cheers again