However, we recommend that you always wash your hands thoroughly after handling these creatures, especially dead worms. No! Blackworms are not harmful to people at all. The worms are very rich in fats, proteins, and vitamins, making them an excellent addition to the diet of breeding fish and growing fry. That means the worms simply break into fragments, each growing a new head and or tail and becoming a new separate worm.īlackworms are extremely popular in the hobby, as they make a great food source for aquarium fish. They have a distinctive forked head section and are usually dark brownish-red to black.Īlthough blackworms can reproduce sexually, they generally do so through an amazing process called fragmentation. This type of freshwater worm can grow up to 4 inches in length and feed on organic detritus and microorganisms. Blackworms can be found across North America and Europe, inhabiting shallow waters, including ponds, marshes, and swamps. What Are Blackworms?īlackworms ( Lumbriculus variegatus) are also commonly known as California blackworms. But first, let’s find out more about these fascinating creatures. In this guide, we explain how to set up and manage a blackworm culture. And you know that there’s always a source of food for your fish, so they will never go hungry.

Blackworms can survive indefinitely in your tank, meaning that they won’t pollute the tank water. Unfortunately, the live food that you can buy in your local fish store often comes with a few unwanted extras in the form of bacteria or parasites that can harm your fish.īut your fish can still benefit from the nutrients and proteins that live foods contain if you culture your own live food, such as blackworms. If you have fussy feeders in your tank, offering them live foods can often be a very effective way of persuading the fish to eat when they tire of frozen foods.

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