Live food question

[FalconStorm]

I have some LFS that sell live food such as brine shrimp and bloodworms. However, the units that they sell them in is WAY too much for one feeding for my fish. I'm not sure how to store them so that they'll stay alive. The first time I fed them, I figured they could live in the aquarium and the fish could eat them at their leisure, but the filter sucked them up and they didn't last long.

How can I store my live food for future feedings?

 

[ravekiss]

I usually store mine in a covered container in the fridge With enough water to cover them.. You have to rinse them everyday though.

Edit: Brine Shrimp have to be in a strong salt water solution, not in the fridge since I've heard that it slows them down.

 

[FalconStorm]

So, could I store the brine shrimp in the water I get them in?

 

[ravekiss]

I dont usually buy brine shrimp alot so I dont want to give you any advice that may be wrong so I found this link that may be helpful:

http/www.waynesthisandthat.com/shrimp.htm

Personally I dont like to buy brine shrimp, I think they're too much work to keep healthy and they're not very nutritious.

 

[FalconStorm]

*shrug* Until now, it was the only live food available, however, I've found a new lfs that will hopefully have live blood worms...

 

[ravekiss]

Bloodworms are the best live food for bettas IMO but I cant find them at my lfs. I have blackworms and tubifex worms in my fridge right now. They get those like 2 times a week.

 

[abstract]

Bloodworms are the best live food for bettas IMO but I cant find them at my lfs. I have blackworms and tubifex worms in my fridge right now. They get those like 2 times a week.

just out of curiosity, why are bloodworms better than blackworms?


and to answer your question...the brine shrimp will last about a week (out of the fridge) in the solution they came in..

the blackworms you just put in the fridge in a container w/ about 2 inches of water, rinsing daily or every 2 days with cold tapwater...they should last a long, long, long time in the fridge...i always drop in a shrimp pellet for food (about once a week or once every other) - i'm sure they eat it even though i never physically see them eating it

 

[Bloo]

Bloodworms keep fine in a little water in a container in the fridge for a week. Personally I hate the smell and keep mine wraped in wet newspaper in a plastic ziplock bag. No smell and easy to pick out how many I want.

 

[ravekiss]

Bloodworms are the best live food for bettas IMO but I cant find them at my lfs. I have blackworms and tubifex worms in my fridge right now. They get those like 2 times a week.

just out of curiosity, why are bloodworms better than blackworms?

I've heard here on this forum that blackworms carry a higher risk of disease than the bloodworms. The fish seem to like them both the same. If I am wrong, please correct me.

 

[abstract]

Bloodworms are the best live food for bettas IMO but I cant find them at my lfs. I have blackworms and tubifex worms in my fridge right now. They get those like 2 times a week.

just out of curiosity, why are bloodworms better than blackworms?

I've heard here on this forum that blackworms carry a higher risk of disease than the bloodworms. The fish seem to like them both the same. If I am wrong, please correct me.

yea i have also always heard about the risk of blackworms carrying parasites, but i would assume the same risk is present for bloodworms...i was thinking you may have said it because bloodworms are more nutritious ...i cant get live bloodworms here, only blackworms, so i donno

 

[ravekiss]

IMO and from what I've read a few places, I think bloodworms ARE more nutrituios. I cant get them at my lfs either...only frozen.