# How to keep blackworms alive



## Shangrila (Oct 13, 2012)

I'm interested in what other people have to say also. I can only keep mine alive for 5 days in the fridge. I flush the water everyday and keep them just barely covered with water but can't get past that 5 day mark. A bowl full of melted dead blood worms is pretty hard to look at.


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## Kimfishepet (Jan 2, 2013)

I keep a lot of blackworms, for weeks at a time following these directions. 
http://www.aquaticfoods.com/BlackwormCareM.html


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## Axelrodi202 (Jul 29, 2008)

In my experience they do pretty much fine in conditions you'd maintain for your fish.


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## Codzilla (Aug 26, 2013)

I think the goal from the link is chemical free pre chilled water. I've been using chilled tank water for 2 days now and I've already seen quite a few worms turn white/dead. If you keep a cup of tap water in the fridge, does it dechlorinate itself or does it need open air?


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## Kimfishepet (Jan 2, 2013)

I use water treated with prime. The source you get them from is as important as the care you give them. Those I order direct last much long we than the ones I buy at my lfs. Those are often already dying it seems.


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## SBPyro (Dec 15, 2009)

This is a setup I'm going to try
but there are others.

http://forum.simplydiscus.com/showt...ltimate-Hobbyist-California-Blackworm-Keeper&


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## OVT (Nov 29, 2011)

Seems like a bit too much trouble to me.

I use a covered Tupperware container with some holes punched in the top and ~1" of water. I change 90% of the water once or twice per week with cold water right out of tap + a drop of Prime. Keep the container in the fridge - 2oz of worms stay alive for a month+.

v3


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## scokaw (Feb 21, 2012)

I've kept them alive for over a month using plain tap water with a few drops of dechlore. During the first week or two i did 100% changed water daily, and removed as much of the dead/dying ones as possible, they foul the water really fast. After that only changed water about every 4-5 days.


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## midlife_hobbyist (Jul 4, 2012)

I was at a local aquarium society meeting last winter and someone demonstrated keeping blackworms in a five gallon aquarium with some pool filter sand and an air head to circulate the water.
I haven't tried this yet but I trust the person who did the demonstration.....He said he would occasionally throw in a piece of zucchini or an algae pellet for them to feed on. 

To harvest he would swirl the sand and the worms would form a clump and he could scoop some up with a turkey baster...


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## Codzilla (Aug 26, 2013)

Ok so is it safe to say that Prime is okay to use on Blackworms?


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## Kimfishepet (Jan 2, 2013)

I use prime and I buy 1-2 pounds of blackworms at a time. No problems here.


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## vvDO (Oct 18, 2010)

OVT said:


> Seems like a bit too much trouble to me.
> 
> I use a covered Tupperware container with some holes punched in the top and ~1" of water. I change 90% of the water once or twice per week with cold water right out of tap + a drop of Prime. Keep the container in the fridge - 2oz of worms stay alive for a month+.
> 
> v3



I do the same, except change water every 3-4 days 2 fold. Empty old water as much as possible, rinse with previously dechlorinate water x2 then feed to my fish and back in the fridge.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## thelub (Jan 4, 2013)

I've kept them in a bag in the fridge for a week+. Just flush the water every couple days. I use filtered drinking water but treated tap is OK. They'll let you know when the water needs to be changed by climbing up the side of the container. They'll be super lethargic in the fridge as that is colder than what they like to be active. They feed best on detritus.


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