Guppies are non-fussy eaters that are ready to consume any edible food. However, they need a diverse, well-balanced, and protein-rich diet to ensure optimal growth. And when it comes to feeding a protein-rich diet, bloodworms are favorite among aquarists. So, do guppies eat bloodworms?
Yes, guppies do eat bloodworms, but you should feed them in moderation as they contain many proteins and fats. Excessive consumption of bloodworms can cause constipation to guppies. Bloodworms can be occasionally fed to guppies as a treat once or twice a week, either live, freeze-dried, or frozen.
Although bloodworms are an excellent source of protein for guppies, care should be taken while feeding them. So, let’s now talk about feeding bloodworms to guppies.
Are Bloodworms Good For Guppies?
Bloodworms are good for guppies if fed in moderation.
Bloodworms are known as the ultimate bait food since most fish that consume meat devour bloodworms.
Besides, bloodworms are rich in proteins and fats, meaning they are ideal for the healthy development of guppies.
However, although bloodworms contain essential proteins, they lack amino acids, vitamins, and minerals that help guppies during reproduction.
Hence, it’s advisable to feed bloodworms occasionally as a treat to guppies along with their staple diet.
Overfeeding bloodworms to guppies can cause health issues like constipation and other gastrointestinal problems.
Alright! Now that you know bloodworms are healthy for guppies, the next logical question that arises is how many and how often you should feed them to guppies.
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- Why Do Guppies Swim Up And Down? (8 Main Reasons)
- Can Guppies Eat Betta Food? (Here’s What You Should Know)
How Many And How Often Can Guppies Eat Bloodworms?
Bloodworms are rich in proteins and fats. Hence, they are one of the favorite foods amongst aquarists for feeding guppies.
The number of bloodworms to be fed to guppies depends on their tank size, water quality, water temperature, and the number of guppies present in the tank.
Also, the quantity of bloodworms needs to be moderated because consuming large quantities of bloodworms in one sitting can cause constipation to guppies.
The best way to determine the quantity is by observing the behavior of guppies during the feeding sessions.
If your guppies immediately finish the bloodworms, you can increase the quantity.
On the contrary, if you find that they can’t finish the given bloodworms in about 3 minutes, you are overfeeding them.
Besides, excess nutrients can prove fatal to guppies.
Therefore, you can feed bloodworms as a supplement along with their regular diet once or twice a week.
Can Guppies Eat Freeze-Dried Bloodworms?
Guppies are voracious eaters and devour bloodworms in any form.
Hence, freeze-dried bloodworms are an excellent option if you don’t wish to feed live bloodworms to your guppies.
Besides, freeze-dried bloodworms have the same nutritional value as live bloodworms.
So, it really doesn’t matter whether you feed live or freeze-dried bloodworms to guppies.
Freeze-dried bloodworms usually float at the top of the tank.
However, as top feeders, guppies will attempt to eat the freeze-dried bloodworms as soon as you release them into the tank.
Additionally, you can soak freeze-dried bloodworms to soften them before putting them in the tank.
Freeze-dried bloodworms are readily available in most pet stores in different packages.
You may notice that some freeze-dried bloodworms are available in Grade A and Grade B.
Grade A is slightly expensive than Grade B as it contains more bloodworm content.
On the other hand, Grade B contains fewer bloodworm substances and hence is less nutritional.
It entirely depends on you which type of bloodworms you wish to feed your guppies.
Related Further Reading:
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- What Do Fancy Guppies Eat? (Complete Diet Guide)
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Can Guppies Eat Frozen Bloodworms?
Yes, guppies can eat frozen bloodworms. In fact, frozen bloodworms are an excellent choice as they don’t carry any lethal parasites or bacteria. Another advantage is that frozen bloodworms can be easily stored in the freezer for a longer duration.
However, frozen bloodworms need to be thawed before feeding them to guppies.
Whenever you want to feed frozen bloodworms, you can place the cube in a small container containing the tank water and thaw them.
Once they are thawed, you can strain the defrosted bloodworms to remove the excess juice and water.
Guppies usually don’t drink juices. Hence it’s better if you strain and feed the bloodworms to your guppies.
Since frozen bloodworms come in various forms, such as blocks or thin sheets, you can feed the appropriate quantity depending on your guppies’ needs.
If you have a small tank with fewer guppies, just put a couple of blocks to check if the guppies finish them off.
You can then increase the quantity overtime if needed.
Also, be careful not to overfeed bloodworms to guppies as it can cause digestive issues.
In addition, if you find any uneaten food in the tank, it needs to be removed immediately before the water gets contaminated.
How Do You Feed Bloodworms To Guppies?
Bloodworms can be fed to guppies either live, frozen, or freeze-dried.
All three forms contain sufficient nutrients to meet the nutritional needs of guppies.
Live bloodworms are a great source of protein for guppies.
However, they carry the greatest risk of carrying harmful bacteria that can prove fatal to guppies.
Hence, you can either culture bloodworms or purchase them from reputed stores to minimize the risk.
Furthermore, the life span of live bloodworms is shorter compared to frozen and freeze-dried bloodworms.
Hence, you need to feed them to guppies within 2 to 3 days of purchase.
Also, you need to avoid collecting live worms or larvae from the wild as they can contain harmful bacteria.
Live bloodworms usually come in a plastic container if you purchase them from a store.
After purchase, you need to first rinse them thoroughly before putting them into the tank.
Also, you should avoid pouring the water used for storing the bloodworms into the guppy tank.
The next option is frozen bloodworms. You can feed frozen bloodworms to guppies after thawing them.
Thawing ensures that the bloodworms are at room temperature and don’t fluctuate the tank’s water temperature.
Ensure that you strain the juices and water before feeding them, as guppies are not very fond of juices.
Just like frozen bloodworms, freeze-dried bloodworms also need to be thawed before feeding the guppies.
Whatever form of bloodworms you prefer to feed your guppies, ensure that you don’t overfeed them.
At the same time, be diligent in removing any leftover bloodworms from the tank before they contaminate the tank water and harm the guppies.
Interesting Further Reading:
- Do Guppies Need Oxygen? + Ways To Increase Oxygen Levels
- Can Guppies Live With Mollies? (Similarities, Challenges & Adaptability)
- Can Guppies Live In A Bowl? (Why Bowls Are A Bad For Guppies)
Related Questions
Can baby guppies eat bloodworms?
Baby guppies devour bloodworms. Bloodworms are healthy for baby guppies as they are high in proteins and fats, which help in their growth.
However, ensure that the bloodworms are tiny so that they can easily fit into their mouths.
Or cut the bloodworms into small pieces and then serve them to baby guppies.
Do guppies eat tubifex worms?
Tubifex worms are an excellent choice for baby guppies.
However, you need to be cautious while feeding tubifex worms to guppies as they can contain harmful bacteria.
So tubifex worms need to be purchased from a reputed store.
Also, they need to be rinsed thoroughly till the water becomes clear before feeding them to baby guppies.
