Microworms and zebra pleco

Brengun

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Apr 22, 2009
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I have several cultures of microworms to feed my cichlid fry, dwarf danios and rainbows but I was wondering if zebras might eat them as well?
I know microworms are pretty small but zebs only have quite a small mouth too.
 

dw1305

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May 5, 2009
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Hi all,
I would think the main problem would be getting them to the bottom, as they swirl around in the smallest current. How about Grindal Worms?

cheers Darrel
 

Irene0100

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May 14, 2009
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well I feed some to my zebs now and again but not sure if they eat them, there are some corys in the zeb tank and they love them.
 

Bwhiskered

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Feb 3, 2010
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I had a spawn of 201 fry die after feeding them micro worms. It was the only spawn of fry that I have totally lost. I figured that it was either bacteria in the culture or the micro worms got in their gills and killed them. Ever since I have not fed micro worms to pleco fry.
 

Zebraholic

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Jun 2, 2010
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Personally I wouldn't. Its gonna create more mess that what its worth. I have never feed my zebras, any type of worms nor frozen products. As long as you give them a variety of the dried food and clean water, they will be happy.
 

Doodles

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Apr 8, 2009
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I wouldn't either, its not worth the risk. I know they are larger than microworms but i've heard a few times about zebra fry choking on bloodworms:(
 

dw1305

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May 5, 2009
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Hi all,
Just to say I haven't kept Zebs (or any other Hypancistrus sp.), but I wouldn't see any risk in feeding Grindal worms, I feed them to all the fish. Personally I haven't had any problem with microworms either, but I'm not sure whether the Zeb fry will eat them.

I also don't agree with all of
I have never feed my zebras, any type of worms nor frozen products. As long as you give them a variety of the dried food and clean water, they will be happy.
I'm a fanatical water changer, and I have planted tanks with lots of biological filtration, so I agree about the water, and dried food is also really good now, but for conditioning fish I'd really recommend red worms (Lumbricus rubellus), Grindal Worms and White Worms to everybody, they are really easy to culture, (and so are wingless Fruit Flies, Daphnia and Mosquito larvae) and they are close to the natural food of the fish. In the winter when live food was scarce (other than the worm cultures), as soon as the ice thawed, I got a good scoop of water and weed out of the garden pond and I fed the Glass-worms, Asellus, Cyclops and swimming May-fly nymphs to the fish, and they went mad for them.

I tend to feed a mix of foods, Astax red crumb, prawn/peas mix, algal wafers, live food and some veg (even for the more carnivorous fish)

People keep on saying rain-water and live food are risky, and maybe I've been lucky, but I'd much rather use them than tap water and dried (or frozen) food all the time.

cheers Darrel
 

Irene0100

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May 14, 2009
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yes i often get a jug of daphnia and small things from the pond (taking care not to get great diving beetle larva etc) and not had any probs.