# Earthworm feeding questions.



## Paytheplayer (Dec 14, 2007)

After seeing that some people on here feed their P's live earthworms, i figured i would give it a try. I went to a bait shop and bought a dozen.

I just wanted to know how everyone goes about doing this. I should probably rinse the dirt off before I put it in right? Also, do i store the rest in the fridge? Plus, how many should i drop in if my 3 RBPs are about 5-6 inches in size? Thank you.


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## ELREYDENJ83 (Jun 25, 2008)

Paytheplayer said:


> After seeing that some people on here feed their P's live earthworms, i figured i would give it a try. I went to a bait shop and bought a dozen.
> 
> I just wanted to know how everyone goes about doing this. I should probably rinse the dirt off before I put it in right? Also, do i store the rest in the fridge? Plus, how many should i drop in if my 3 RBPs are about 5-6 inches in size? Thank you.


I FREQUENTLY FEED MY CARIBA EARTHWORMS AND THEY LOVE IT. YES, I RINSE OFF THE DIRT FIRST AND I FEED THEM TO MY Ps ONE AT A TIME. I DO THIS BECAUSE I LIKE TO WATCH AND MAKE SURE THAT IT IS EATEN, BECAUSE THE WORMS SOMETIMES TRY TO DIG INTO THE SUBSTRATE. I FEED THEM UNTIL THEY DO NOT WANT TO EAT ANYMORE. FOR EXAMPLE THE FIRST FEW WORMS WILL BE EATEN RIGHT AWAY, ONCE I DROP ONE IN AND THEY DONT PAY ATTENTION TO IT THEN I STOP. SO IT DEPENDS, HOWEVER I WOULD NOT JUST THROW 3 OR 4 IN AND WALK AWAY. THEY USUALLY COME IN TWO SIZES, BABY NIGHT CRAWLERS AND LARGE NIGHT CRAWLERS. NIGHT CRAWLERS ARE SAID TO BE GOOD FOR COLOR IN YOUR Ps SO I BELIEVE THEY ARE A VERY GOOD CHOICE. I AM STILL TRYING TO FIND THE CHEAPEST SOURCE FOR EARTHWORMS SO IF ANYONE KNOWS OF A BAIT SHOP OR LFS IN JERSEY THAT SELLS THEM REAL CHEAP LET ME KNOW! OH AND YES THEY SHOULD BE STORED IN THE FRIDGE WHEN DONE FEEDING.


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## angeli697 (Jul 5, 2007)

2 full worms should do the trick. maybe 2.5 worms. it doesn't really matter if you rinse the dirt off. jsut put the rest in the fridge, normally in the bottom crisper. (bottom drawers)


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## Guest (Aug 7, 2008)

I dig up my own earthworms in the park. Sometimes after a heavy rainstorm, I can pick up worms in the parking lot of my apartment (much to my neighbors' consternation).

I store the worms in those wide plastic containers I get from the Chinese Take-Out. I put dirt in there, about a dozen worms, and store them on the cool floor of my basement storage-area. The worms that live around me die quickly in the refrigerator. (Apparently, there are alot of different species of worms with different care requirements)

Before I feed the worms, I put them in a plastic cup and wash them with a blast of scolding hot tap water. This messes them up so they can't scurry beneath the gravel substrate. Then I drop them into the aquarium.

Some people run their fingers down the legnth of the worm and sqeeze all the dirt out their digestive tracks. This way, less dirt gets into your aquarium. I don't do it because it's gross.


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## fishguy1313 (Feb 19, 2007)

i just drop them in. you could probably put in half a dozen. maybe more if they are hungry.


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## ELREYDENJ83 (Jun 25, 2008)

Bullsnake said:


> I dig up my own earthworms in the park. Sometimes after a heavy rainstorm, I can pick up worms in the parking lot of my apartment (much to my neighbors' consternation).
> 
> I store the worms in those wide plastic containers I get from the Chinese Take-Out. I put dirt in there, about a dozen worms, and store them on the cool floor of my basement storage-area. The worms that live around me die quickly in the refrigerator. (Apparently, there are alot of different species of worms with different care requirements)
> 
> ...


i am very interested in your opinion. people have always said to be careful with worms from the ground that could have been exposed to pesticides. do you make sure the areas were not exposed to pesticides or is this not as big of a concern that everybody makes it out to be???


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## Guest (Aug 9, 2008)

ELREYDENJ83 said:


> i am very interested in your opinion. people have always said to be careful with worms from the ground that could have been exposed to pesticides. do you make sure the areas were not exposed to pesticides or is this not as big of a concern that everybody makes it out to be???


Here in New Jersey, chemical contamination is a way of life. There's mercury and other pollutants in the ground, water, fish, and probably even in me from eating the fish.

I don't see any way around this. Even the giant Canadian Night Crawlers people can buy in the bait shops were collected on farms in Canada and have probably been exposed to fertilizers and pesticides.

All of my fish grow big and old. Some of my fish I've had since I first got into fishkeeping 6 years ago. I have never had a fish display any signs of toxic poisoning. I don't know anything for sure, but my supposition is wild-collected worms and insects from suburban areas are safe to feed.


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## ELREYDENJ83 (Jun 25, 2008)

Bullsnake said:


> i am very interested in your opinion. people have always said to be careful with worms from the ground that could have been exposed to pesticides. do you make sure the areas were not exposed to pesticides or is this not as big of a concern that everybody makes it out to be???


Here in New Jersey, chemical contamination is a way of life. There's mercury and other pollutants in the ground, water, fish, and probably even in me from eating the fish.

I don't see any way around this. Even the giant Canadian Night Crawlers people can buy in the bait shops were collected on farms in Canada and have probably been exposed to fertilizers and pesticides.

All of my fish grow big and old. Some of my fish I've had since I first got into fishkeeping 6 years ago. I have never had a fish display any signs of toxic poisoning. I don't know anything for sure, but my supposition is wild-collected worms and insects from suburban areas are safe to feed.
[/quote]

Good to know, im in jersey too and this will save me some cash. I always hated paying for night crawlings knowing that i could dig up hundreds whenever i wanted.


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## robert69 (Jul 16, 2005)

If it matters any, I buy large sized night crawlers from WalMart. I have a total of 8 P's. I usually drop in 6-7 of the worms and they get destroyed(eaten) before they have a chance to hit the bottom of the tank. My P's love worms!


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## ELREYDENJ83 (Jun 25, 2008)

robert69 said:


> If it matters any, I buy large sized night crawlers from WalMart. I have a total of 8 P's. I usually drop in 6-7 of the worms and they get destroyed(eaten) before they have a chance to hit the bottom of the tank. My P's love worms!


How much are the night crawlers at wal-mart????


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