# feeding my rbp's leaf worms or nightcrawlers? can i do this?



## holmes14 (Apr 15, 2007)

well i recently got a few red belly piranhas they vary from 2-5'' ive been feeding them some guppies and feeder goldfish (after finding this site i know that the goldfish arent a good thing!) so i picked up some frozen beef heart today. but i was wondering if i could feed them live leaf worms or nightcrawlers? they have a good source of protien and everything so i dont see why not? and i like feeding them live stuff better then frozen, im sure it wont be as cool watching them eat a worm as it is when the grab a goldfish haha but just wanted to check with the experts about this. thanks in advance, Holmes

Also if anyone is near menominee, MI (the U.P.) and has a 55-90 gallon tank please pm me. thanks


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## taylorhedrich (Mar 2, 2005)

Yes, earthworms/nightcrawlers are a very good choice of food for your piranhas. As you stated, they are high in protein, but they are also pretty much fat free. My piranhas go crazy for them.
~Taylor~


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## flashover00 (Oct 19, 2006)

yup....they're good


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## some_kid (Dec 27, 2006)

I remember hearing somewhere they're messy....? Cloudy water, etc.


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## holmes14 (Apr 15, 2007)

are they messy (cloudy water) i dont see why they would be if you get the dirt off them


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## bootdink (Jan 17, 2007)

holmes4 said:


> well i recently got a few red belly piranhas they vary from 2-5'' ive been feeding them some guppies and feeder goldfish (after finding this site i know that the goldfish arent a good thing!) so i picked up some frozen *beef heart *today. but i was wondering if i could feed them live leaf worms or nightcrawlers? they have a good source of protien and everything so i dont see why not? and i like feeding them live stuff better then frozen, im sure it wont be as cool watching them eat a worm as it is when the grab a goldfish haha but just wanted to check with the experts about this. thanks in advance, Holmes
> 
> Also if anyone is near menominee, MI (the U.P.) and has a 55-90 gallon tank please pm me. thanks


 also i wouldnt use beefheart as a staple diet either...it is very high in fat...use once in a while(3-4 times a month)..it is also hard on the digestive system of ur p's


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## holmes14 (Apr 15, 2007)

thanks for the tip on the beaf heart, i just wanted to get something besides feeder goldfish and wasnt sure... i can choose between blood worms, frozen brine shrimp, or beef heart.... and i know its not good to do but ill prob still feed them a feeder fish or a couple guppies once in a while, Anyone else know if the live leaf worms will get my tank all cloudy?

As long as the leaf worms dont get my tank real dirty ill prob use those, and which of the 3 frozen things would be a best choice? and a occasional feeder fish. Thanks for the help so far guys... is there anything else i should be giving them?

Also i have a 30 gallon tank with a oscar, albino channel cat, and some sorta other black shark catfish?... the tank seems to get cloudy and dirty quick because of the feces that collects on the bottom.. i have a bottom filter under the rocks and it helps but its still getting cloudy i have a couple pacosomis (sp?) bottom feeders, but they just suck the walls mostly, is there any tips or what not how to get the bottom clean and keep from getting cloudy besides constant water changes? ive tried a clear water product and it sucked. Is there anything i can do to help or do i have to deal with it because i have bigger fish in a not so big tank? Thanks all this fish forum has been very helpfull already!.... Anyone know a good site to get some red belly piranhas for a decent price? i live in Menominee, MI if that makes a diff


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## taylorhedrich (Mar 2, 2005)

holmes4 said:


> are they messy (cloudy water) i dont see why they would be if you get the dirt off them


That's another plus. Once you get them rinsed off, they are basically just strands of lean meat. No messes whatsoever. Sometimes if you have a big worm and they rip it apart, there will be a tiny cloud, but that's nothing really.
~Taylor~


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## flashover00 (Oct 19, 2006)

holmes4 said:


> thanks for the tip on the beaf heart, i just wanted to get something besides feeder goldfish and wasnt sure...* i can choose between blood worms, frozen brine shrimp, or beef heart.*... and i know its not good to do but ill prob still feed them a feeder fish or a couple guppies once in a while, Anyone else know if the live leaf worms will get my tank all cloudy?
> 
> As long as the leaf worms dont get my tank real dirty ill prob use those, and *which of the 3 frozen things would be a best choice*? and a occasional feeder fish. Thanks for the help so far guys... is there anything else i should be giving them?
> 
> Also i have a 30 gallon tank with a oscar, albino channel cat, and some sorta other black shark catfish?... the tank seems to get cloudy and dirty quick because of the feces that collects on the bottom.. i have a bottom filter under the rocks and it helps but its still getting cloudy i have a couple pacosomis (sp?) bottom feeders, but they just suck the walls mostly, is there any tips or what not how to get the bottom clean and keep from getting cloudy besides constant water changes? ive tried a clear water product and it sucked. Is there anything i can do to help or do i have to deal with it because i have bigger fish in a not so big tank? Thanks all this fish forum has been very helpfull already!.... Anyone know a good site to get some red belly piranhas for a decent price? i live in Menominee, MI if that makes a diff


Blood worms , brine shrimp and beef heart all work.....feed them all for a varied diet.

The underground filter on your 30 is bad news....makes things worse
The bottom needs to be vacced out during water changes anyway, but the filter and the bioload is probably problematic
The plecostamus will create more mess than it will help clean( if its a common pleco...which im guessing it is)...and you have more than 1 which is bad news as well


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## holmes14 (Apr 15, 2007)

i still vacuum the tank out when i clean it but i wanted to try the undergravel filter and it seems to help some? the bottom feeders keep the tank clean bot not the bottom or water... any tips on what to do? prob not much i can do, i really need to find a bigger tank but its hard to find a used one for a decent price.

Heres a pic of them


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## cueball (May 24, 2005)

yes yes worms are great my fish didnt eat for weeks and the min, spring broke the worms were out ,, hes eating fine now


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## holmes14 (Apr 15, 2007)

great to know about the worms ill have to pick some up! i need to find a bigger tank so i can put the red bellies in the 29 gallon and get a bigger one for my ocar and catfish, anyone have one for sale near Menominee, MI like a 55-90 gallon?


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