chopped earthworm

eupterus · Post by **eupterus** » 02 Apr 2006, 23:17

I keep seeing reference to chopped earthworms as a good conditioning food, can anyone tell me how finely you are required and what is the best size worms to use for coydoras. I have a large pet lungfish and a wormery to feed him so i have a good supply of worms just never hasd to chop them up before. Any help would be greatly appreciated

Post by **Coryman** » 03 Apr 2006, 17:04

Chopped earth works are in my opinion one of the best foods for any fish not just Corys, the question "How small to chop them" is relative really, they need to be cut small enough so that your Corys can get them into their mouths and then some. I find Corys don't like struggling to get food into their mouths so the finer the better.

In regards to type of worm I tend to favour the small red variety, not from personal taste you understand, but from the reactions of my fish.

Ian

eupterus · Post by **eupterus** » 03 Apr 2006, 19:08

I am risking stating the odvious now, but is it as simple as cutting with a knike. Also do you need to clean them after as there must be alot of soil that comes out or do you simply put the mush into the tank. The type of worms I have are the small red dendrobena worms that you described. I am guessing that they are not so good for the pygmy species due to size problems.

pictus_man_77 · Post by **pictus_man_77** » 03 Apr 2006, 19:14

you have to "purge" them (let them pass all the soil inside their bodies) thats what i do, before i cut them with a very sharp knife

pturley · Post by **pturley** » 03 Apr 2006, 19:48

Pizza cutters work well, as does pasta cutters which are basically a stack of cutting wheels.

http://www.fantes.com/images/3661pasta_cutters.jpg

CoryWally · Post by **CoryWally** » 03 Apr 2006, 20:43

if you want to avoid the mess, freeze the mass of collected worms and then carve/scrape off what you want to feed and pop the rest back in the freezer - but dont tell your wife.

eupterus · Post by **eupterus** » 07 Apr 2006, 21:01

WOW.
I have just fed my cories with chopped earthworm for the first time and they went mad. They are always active at feeding time but this was rediculous. My wife was out when the chopping occured as I dont think she would appreciate my knife set in the same way anymore