Live bloodworms in tank with larvae

[Crystalann0219]

So since I have only been able to collect so few eggs this time around I wasnt able to collect enough to send, the ones i had collected started to hatch already! I wanted to try a less labor intensive "dirty water" method this time around. I got my water from a algae filled ditch that was full of copedods and other tiny things i could see moving around in there. I guess there was also some midge eggs i didnt notice. I noticed small green tunnel like things all over the bottom of the container the next day after i added the water. I started seeing tiny worms soon after. Finally i saw that the tiny worms were living in the tiny tunnels. I know this is what bloodworms do so Im guessing thats what they are. There are hundreds in there. Right now they are very tiny and look to be a good size for the growing larvae so i wonder if there is any harm to leaving them in there? I can see some of the larvae have been eating so they must be eating those because there is not many copepods in there. Some but not alot. Will the bloodworms harm the larvae?? Once i see the worms are getting too big for the larvae to even try to eat i will remove them and feed them to my adults or my aqautic efts.

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[Niels D]

I really love the dirty water setup. Since I have my own pond it's become the only method I'm using now, also for Paramesotriton sp. The bloodworms mainly feed on plant roots and algae and mosses. Your larvae won't be harmed by them, also according to my own experience.

 

[Crystalann0219]

Im surprised so far at how well it is going with the dirty water. I have only removed a little and replaced it with more ditch water and i always see them eating when i add new water. I also have a pond, and a stream in my yard, but the pond has lots of aggressive fish and so i have not found anything good in the pond. But i do visit my moms house 2 times a week and will keep getting the ditch water until it dries up. Also trying to get my own little tib set up, but our weather is so crazy its frozen complelty a few times. But i am goping this dirty water method will get the larvae big enough that they are able to eat frozen bloodworms or live blackworms which i may be able to get by then.

 

[Niels D]

I guess that shouldn't be a problem. Have you try to find tubifex? You can cut if up and feed it to your larvae.