Steffen Dietzel, Dietzel65, Teichtier03, marked as public domain, details on Wikimedia Commons
What are red bloodworms?
Most aquarists are familiar with red mosquito larvae. They serve as popular food for most fish. Red mosquito larvae are the larvae of midges and live in the bottom mud of bodies of water. They owe their red color and therefore their name to the red pigment in their blood. The larvae are worm-shaped and move like snakes or worms.
What fish eat red mosquito larvae?
Many fish seem to regard the red mosquito larvae as a real delicacy. You quickly notice this when you feed them with it and within seconds all the larvae have been eaten. However, the larvae have thick skin. That is why they are suitable as food for medium-sized to large fish. Crustaceans such as shrimp can also benefit from the red mosquito larvae, as the components of the larval skin are good for the shrimp and crabs to molt themselves. Red mosquito larvae provide fiber, protein, fat and provitamin A.
How often should you feed red bloodworms?
Red mosquito larvae are available as live food, as frozen food, and as a freeze-dried version. All species can certainly be used in the aquarium. With the frozen food variant, you should make sure that the food is first thawed and rinsed once, so that no pollutants get into the tank through the thawed water. With all variants, it is important to ensure that the mosquito larvae are eaten completely and in the shortest possible time. If red larvae remain, they can have a bad effect on the water values and should therefore be better removed.
This works best with a hose when changing the water. On the «Collect yourself” Red mosquito larvae should be avoided at all costs, as they can often bring unwanted germs or diseases with them. Feeding the larvae should be limited to once or twice a week. Better to feed a little less than too much. This avoids overfeeding and thus water pollution.
Live food storage rules:
- only feed fresh
- Live food does not keep for long
- store in the fridge
- don’t feed too much at once
- pay attention to whether the stocking of the tank needs this food
Rules for storing frozen food:
- there is also an expiry date for the shelf life
- only take out of the freezer in portions
- don’t feed too much at once