# Live Food Options



## Xaltd1 (Dec 9, 2012)

I know that my selected breeding pair should have live food, and my fry should have live food. I've researched to the point that I'm dizzy. I ordered brine shrimp eggs- but they have to be free of the shells?? I can try and grow infusoria in a jar, but what's the time frame? (Plus, if I can't see them, how do I feed them to fry??)
I have a few cherry shrimp in my main tank. I've ordered more to breed in a separate tank. I'm assuming the juvies would be good food for the breeding pair?
I've gone as far as to thinking that guppy fry would be good food for the parents as well. (SORRY FOR BEING CRUEL!)
PetCo always has ghost shrimp as feeders- is that a good option?
I AM SO CONFUSED!!! I want the best nutrition possible for my breeding pair and my fry.


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## LittleBettaFish (Oct 2, 2010)

I know some people on here hate them, but mostly everyone I know in Australia uses live blackworms to condition their betta pairs for breeding, even one of the top importers of bettas in Australia. 

Someone here mentioned that it makes bettas thick, but some of my bettas are fed almost exclusively on live blackworms and I have had no issues at all with my fish being able to spawn. 

Always buy them from a reputable source though and rinse them well before using, as some stores can be a little lax with the care of their blackworms. When they die they stink to high heaven and I would not touch them or feed them to my fish. 

Live foods for my fry include microworms, BBS, grindal worms, white worms and live blackworms. I usually feed microworms and BBS until they are big enough for grindals. Then I feed mostly grindals until they get big enough for the white worms, blackworms and the NLS .5mm pellets. 

You don't want to feed the shell of the BBS to your fry. If you use a torch, you will find that some eggs float, some eggs sink, and the BBS congregate around the torch light allowing you to siphon them off.


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## indjo (Jun 6, 2010)

Shrimp fry are great as feeders. The problem is getting them to hatch - it takes way too long. So IMO it's not worth the trouble. Guppy fry are also great for adults. But again you will need them give birth every 3 - 4 days because guppy fry will be too fast and maybe too big. It's ok to use them as treats, but don't rely on them as feeders.

Blackworms,bloodworms, or any kind of worms - live or frozen, are great to fatten up your bettas. You can also use mosquito larvae, daphnia, or any insect larvae small enough. I sometimes feed minced shrimp, ant eggs, tiny earthworms as treats - anytime I can find/buy them. I don't limit the type of food. I will feed them anything they would eat. Just remember to rinse them well before use to avoid diseases.


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## Xaltd1 (Dec 9, 2012)

Thank you both. The problem is that I live on the other side of the globe- I'm on the Northeast coast of the US. The ground is frozen solid w/ a good 12" of snow pack!!
LBS, when you said to use a 'torch", I freaked! Then I assume you mean "flashlight"- in the US, a torch is a hand-held gas open flame used for welding!!! ;0) It would turn any fish to fish soup.
If I wait another 4 months, I can collect mosquito larva & ant eggs outdoors. The only local worms I could collect would be eathworms, which are far to big.
Where do you get black worms commercially? The only live food the fish stores have are ghost shrimp, which are too big for babies. I have 2 breeding pair of cherry shrimp in my 29 gallon. I've seen babies, but I think the "girls" are eating them. I've ordered more shrimp for their own tank, so I can have more adults to do clean-up duty, plus I will have some extra baby shrimp for snacks.
Would it make sense to have some adult cherry shrimp in with the fry (to help remove uneaten food)? Or would they eat the fry?


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## GhostFeather (Jun 23, 2011)

If you are not to squimish,you can go to a bait shop and buy maggots,just cut them up a little,my Bettas love them.
I also feed mine FruitFly maggots(they are just the right size for Bettas.
I also feed live BlackWorms,White Worms,Grindals,in the summer Mosquito Larva,along with frozen BloodWorms and Brine Shrimp.


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## Xaltd1 (Dec 9, 2012)

I don't know of any bait shops open @ this time of year! I guess my real question is "where can I find live food for bettas when it's 17 degrees out with 18" of snow on the ground?" ;0)


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## GhostFeather (Jun 23, 2011)

Your from Mass.,there should be some open for Ice Fishing.


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## Xaltd1 (Dec 9, 2012)

No ice fishing here!
We have more ocean than freshwater, here on the coast.
I just got my black worms- the bettas are very happy!!!!


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## Myates (Aug 2, 2011)

If having trouble with finding live foods right now, then you can just use high quality pellets + lots of frozen food such as bloodworms.. the frozen work pretty much just as good as live.


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## Xaltd1 (Dec 9, 2012)

Yes; the frozen cubes of brine shrimp & other types are gobbled up by the bettas. I don't understand why they aren't considered as good as live.
But it is a riot to watch the fish go after the live worms!! Like kids chasing spaghetti that's trying to get away!


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## indjo (Jun 6, 2010)

Frozen is OK . . . it's the freezed dried that aren't so good. 
Sometimes, bettas used to live, won't take frozen. But usually a few days of fasting will get them to eat.


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## tekkguy (Jan 28, 2013)

Wingless fruit flies might be a good option. You can get them pretty much year round in just about any pet store with a reptile department. The cultures last forever at room temp, and generally come ready to feed.


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## Xaltd1 (Dec 9, 2012)

Well, I want you to all to LOL: I was removing live blackworms from the fridge. They're in a plastic shoebox. When placing the box back in the fridge I bumped the door: 1/4 of the live worms went airborne & landed square in a (luckily sealed) fridge door compartment!!!! Now, every time I open the fridge door, I have a mass of wriggling worms in the compartment next to my mustard and ketchup!!!
I'll have to remove them sooner or later, but it IS conveniet to get to the worms! I can just imagine if someone were to come over and check in the fridge... unless they were a fish keeper, and then it would be logical and no surprise at all...


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## belleangel33 (Apr 1, 2013)

Howdy neighbor im in Maine. I purchased fruit flies online at petco I think, and purchased my white worms on ebay and my grindal worms in aquabid,.all my cultures from Ebay I bought a 3 pack banana,walter and microworms. Hope that helps....

Baaahaaa about the fridgedoor lol.


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## belleangel33 (Apr 1, 2013)

Oops forgot to comment on the red cherry shrimp they will not eat your fry. But once the bettas are large enough they may eat the rcs. I bought some rcs I cant seem to keep them alive out of 25 I only have 4 left  I love watching the shrimp almoat as much as I love watching my fry!


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## GhostFeather (Jun 23, 2011)

Mine don't seem to like the Fruit-Flies,but the love the little maggots!!
You already have BlsckWorms crawling around in your fridge,what's a few maggots!!!-lol


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## belleangel33 (Apr 1, 2013)

I only have a few that don't see the flies as food but most once they have tried it gobble them right up. I cant do blackworms because the boyfriend says no worms in the fridge baaahaaa


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## GhostFeather (Jun 23, 2011)

Lol,that's what my wife said,I had to buy a little one for the basement!
Bill


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## Xaltd1 (Dec 9, 2012)

Will fry eat larval mosquitoes???
I will have them aplenty very soon!!


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## MattsBettas (Dec 18, 2012)

Mosquito larvae are pretty much the most natural and ideal food for a betta. If it is the right size then fry would love it.


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## Xaltd1 (Dec 9, 2012)

I'm mosquitoe central.
I just need to leave some containers w/soft water outdoors.


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## Jayloo (Mar 13, 2013)

How do you culture mosquito larvae?


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## Xaltd1 (Dec 9, 2012)

I don't think you could culture mosquito larvae. I just live in an extremely wet area= tons of standing water everywhere. In between the wet spots are horse farms: lots of blood to feed on! There's a disease called "triple E": Eastern Equine Encephalitis that is a real problem here. Any water left out in a bucket from May-August will be swimming w/ larvae. I will have very fat fish by Fall, as I intend to capture the little buggers as often as I can.


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## Xaltd1 (Dec 9, 2012)

...And I intend to go BWAH-HA-HA!!!! (My best cartoon villan laugh) as I feed them to my fish!!!!


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## Option (Oct 20, 2012)

I'm always a bit confused on the larvae of these insects, but aren't mosquito larvae carnivorous much like dragonfly larvae?


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## Xaltd1 (Dec 9, 2012)

I'll look it up, but mosquito larvae are big enough to see, but it still pretty small!
Maybe teeny fry would have a problem, but any fish over 1/4" would be able to eat them.
My concern is if EEE can harm a fish; the disease has been detected in amphibians & reptiles, but the article didn't say if it harmed them. It's a vector disease via birds, that aren't harmed.


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## Jayloo (Mar 13, 2013)

So basically to culture them wait til warm season and set out a bucket of water...


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## Xaltd1 (Dec 9, 2012)

I would leave small containers w/water outdoors now, & check daily. I'm using the clear acrylic "betta tanks" that are about 1/4 gallon ($4 @ WalMart). The mosquito larvae are the "wigglers" that are very apparent & can't be confused w/ anything else. They orient themselves almost vertically w/ the waterline.

The only reason I know all of this is b/c of EEE. We are told daily by the local media to remove "any standing water" on our properties. MY standing water will be a betta buffet!


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## MattsBettas (Dec 18, 2012)

Living in a mosquito rich area, I can assure you all that I would take much pleasure in feeding them life to hungry fish and laughing evilly like Xaltd1.


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## Jayloo (Mar 13, 2013)

I can start the larvae catching now?


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## Xaltd1 (Dec 9, 2012)

Yes; you are warmer than I am here in MA. Mosquito larva are NOT carnivorous.
I found this on Wikipedia:
The mosquito larva has a well-developed head with mouth brushes used for feeding, a large thorax with no legs, and a segmented abdomen.
Larvae breathe through spiracles located on the eighth abdominal segment, or through a siphon, and therefore must come to the surface frequently. The larvae spend most of their time feeding on algae, bacteria, and other microbes in the surface microlayer. They dive below the surface only when disturbed. Larvae swim either through propulsion with their mouth brushes, or by jerky movements of their entire bodies, giving them the common name of "wigglers" or "wrigglers".


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## Jayloo (Mar 13, 2013)

Hmm seems like they will be a good fry food after they grow a little more. My babies are ten days old today!


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## Xaltd1 (Dec 9, 2012)

Congratulations!!!
My 1st spawn attempt was a bust.


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## Artemis (Mar 9, 2013)

Where in MA? I'm right here next to a riding stable and EEE and West Nile were the big scare last year here near Springfield. My biggest worry is ticks. Thank you very much ditch-next-to-our-house-that-gives-a-home-to-Trejo-the-fox,-Ranger-the- coyote-and-Sasha ****'s-family.


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## Xaltd1 (Dec 9, 2012)

Hi, Artemis! I'm in Hamilton- on the Ipswich/Essex border, a mile or two from Crane beach (North shore).
& THANK YOU, salt marshes + horses, for breeding greenhead flies that make life miserable in late July.
I've heard that Hamilton has the highest person-to-horse ratio in the country, but I doubt that. My neighboring farm down the hill seems to think it's charming to have a donkey- a donkey who brays every day @ sunrise, waking the whole area!


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## Artemis (Mar 9, 2013)

We had 2 for a few years in our old neighborhood in Texas. It was quite nice to hear them on nice summer afternoons in my opinion but it was a few blocks away.


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