Can I feed my Fish Earthworms daily and also as a Main diet?

[FrancisFloe]

Is it safe to feed fish earthworms as a main diet? I don't think earthworms is a natural diet of fish in the wild but I have no choice because some of my fish won't eat anything other than earthworms like my tiretrack eel, leopard bush fish and flowerhorn they also do take bloodworms but it is usually out of stock in my petshops so I feed them earthworms that are fed on chicken manure and kitchen scraps. My fish seems healthy and has voracious appetite on the worms but I don't know if its fine for it to become their main diet forever.

 

[latapy10]

I think that is absolutelly ok.Fishes like tiretrack eel, leopard bush fish and flowerhorn will grow from that type of feeding.I have leopard bush fish 6 years old.And this fish eats earthworms and also pellets regularly.

 

[Stephen St.Clair]

You might toss in some crickets & grasshoppers as well.

 

[FrancisFloe]

I think that is absolutelly ok.Fishes like tiretrack eel, leopard bush fish and flowerhorn will grow from that type of feeding.I have leopard bush fish 6 years old.And this fish eats earthworms and also pellets regularly.

View attachment 1522500

Wow thats an old fish! how big is it btw cuz it looks small or are they really slower growers?, and thanks for the confirmation.

 

[jjohnwm]

I wouldn't consider an all-earthworm diet healthy...and I would feel the same way about just about any food used exclusively.

But I think that earthworms can be great as a major item in the diet of most fish. I certainly used them that way for many years, and I'd still be doing so if they were more easily accessed in my area. Just be certain to collect them in areas that aren't treated with pesticides or other chemicals.

 

[esoxlucius]

As their main diet? Probably not. As part of a varied diet? Absolutely.

I think I can safely say that worms, any variety, either chopped up finely for small fish, or fed whole to larger fish, are one of those foods that get absolutely nailed by all fish. Worms have, and continue to be, a huge favorite of my fish over the years.

And as jjohnwm said, it's important that the worms you collect are free from chemicals. What better way of ensuring that than creating your own wormery and feeding it kitchen scraps and garden waste.

In my experience you'll begin to notice whether you are overdoing it feeding worms because you'll start seeing the unsightly tell tale protein layer on top of your water.

 

[krichardson]

In my experience you'll begin to notice whether you are overdoing it feeding worms because you'll start seeing the unsightly tell tale protein layer on top of your water.

Yeah,and too much earthworm could give the fish Diarrhea!

 

[latapy10]

Wow thats an old fish! how big is it btw cuz it looks small or are they really slower growers?, and thanks for the confirmation.

ctenopoma is slow grower.mine is 16 cm long.On the photo is also tire track eel

 

[FrancisFloe]

I wouldn't consider an all-earthworm diet healthy...and I would feel the same way about just about any food used exclusively.

But I think that earthworms can be great as a major item in the diet of most fish. I certainly used them that way for many years, and I'd still be doing so if they were more easily accessed in my area. Just be certain to collect them in areas that aren't treated with pesticides or other chemicals.

As their main diet? Probably not. As part of a varied diet? Absolutely.

I think I can safely say that worms, any variety, either chopped up finely for small fish, or fed whole to larger fish, are one of those foods that get absolutely nailed by all fish. Worms have, and continue to be, a huge favorite of my fish over the years.

And as jjohnwm said, it's important that the worms you collect are free from chemicals. What better way of ensuring that than creating your own wormery and feeding it kitchen scraps and garden waste.

In my experience you'll begin to notice whether you are overdoing it feeding worms because you'll start seeing the unsightly tell tale protein layer on top of your water.

Thanks for the insights guys. I occasionaly feed them fish guts, shrimp and other worms, I also expirement with new pellets but rn I use what I have most commonly available

 

[FrancisFloe]

ctenopoma is slow grower.mine is 16 cm long.On the photo is also tire track eel

View attachment 1522550

Oh wow, I underestimated its size cuz the photo didn't do justice. Mine is currently around 9 cm, still a long way to go