Bloodworms

The early bird catches the worm, but the second mice gets the cheese

~ Jon Hammond

The high protein and fibrous bloodworm is an excellent food for many ornamental fishes, it aids digestion and also promotes wen growth and fertility in goldfish. However, being live feeds, bloodworms carry many protozoans. The safer option is to buy the frozen-sterilized bloodworms. Have you ever wonder why the frozen bloodworms are so well preserved? They can maintain that fresh blood redness through weeks and months in the freezer?

I got the answer from a discus hobbyist I met 2 years ago and I thought that it is important to share it around. He thinks that the bloodworms are preserved with formalin - an active ingredients used in the process of embalming (http://www.goatworld.com/articles/cl/formalin.shtml) to preserved carcasses and kill protozoans (http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/VM061)! I was told that two of his discus hobbyist friends developed serious cracks and skin sore on their hands after prolong periods of handling bloodworms, eventually to quit their hobby!

Of course I would not deprive my beloved goldfish from bloodworms. I always use a hand glove and wash my hands thoroughly with soap after handling them. It is also advisable to store bloodworms in a different compartment from food in the freezer and keep them away from children. The crack and dry skin on my fingers eventually heal in a couple of weeks - thanks to the kind gentleman who shared this information!