# Feeding live food; where to start?



## reskh (Jul 4, 2010)

I'm fairly new to aquarium keeping; I just started my first tank a couple of months ago. Everything seems to be going great and I want to give my fish a little bit of some extra love. I hear that live food is something they adore. However, I'm not sure where to start. Where can I buy live food? What kind is best? Is there anything to be worried about? I have some Rasboras, Zebra Danios, and one Dwarf Gourami. I am assuming that only the Gourami would be interested in live food, but again, I'm not sure.  Any and all advice or tips are greatly appreciated.


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## sik80 (Mar 16, 2010)

most local fish stores stock some bagged live foods. mine stocks daphnia and brine shrimp. i get daphnia and all of my fish go wild for them - i'm sure all of yours would appreciate them too.

there are lots of other live food options, many of which can be cultured at home http://fins.actwin.com/mirror/live-food.html

if you're looking to expand your fishes diet, try some frozen blood worms (also from local fish store) which are very poplar with my fish. they come like ice cubes, which i melt in a cup of slightly warm water, then chop up small with scissors and feed with a pipette, so i can get them where i want in the tank, like on the bottom for my corys and rams. i wouldn't feed these more than 2-3 times per week though


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## iamntbatman (Jan 3, 2008)

I haven't met a fish yet who didn't absolutely adore live blackworms.


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## onefish2fish (Jul 22, 2008)

+1 i was going to suggest live blackworms.


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## aunt kymmie (Jun 2, 2008)

+2 for blackworms. I order these worms every month. If rinsed and stored properly I can keep them "live" in the frig for weeks. Some of my "picky" discus won't eat anything else but these worms. Spoiled fish!


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## reskh (Jul 4, 2010)

*Thanks*

Haha, blackworms it is then! And maybe some bloodworms or brine shrimp...yum. Thanks for all the help.  I'm off to the fish store tomorrow to find some fishy goodies.


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## sik80 (Mar 16, 2010)

in a fit of boredom yesterday i went out into our little back yard to see if there was anything for my fish to eat. I found hundreds of midge larvae in a pot of water and also an earthworm which i chopped up really fine. my fish were very pleased with both. it was nice to get some good nutritious live food for my fish from the back yard


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## aunt kymmie (Jun 2, 2008)

sik80, you did much better than I could do! I tried chopping an earthworm up once for my fish and it made me ill, on top of feely badly for torturing the worm! (I'm such a wuss). What is a midge?? Sounds interesting.


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## sik80 (Mar 16, 2010)

midges are like small non-biting mosquitos i guess. they have a larval stage in small bodies of stagnant water. you maybe call them something else in the US?

chopping worms does seem a little cruel particualrly when they writhe around, poor little guys. the fish like em theough!


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## Inga (Jun 8, 2010)

Yeah, I couldn't do the worm thing. I don't have the heart for it but I would have no issues feeding mosquitoes to my fish. lol Guess all things created equal doesn't include mosquitoes in my book. LOL Flies best watch out too.


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## iamntbatman (Jan 3, 2008)

A common name for them in the US is "no-see-ums." Some species are biters, others aren't. Either way even the biting variety aren't as bad as mosquitoes.


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