Dusting blackworms?

[merk199]

Does anyone dust blackworms? If so how do you do it?

 

[Jennewt]

I do try to fortify them, but I think I'd call it gutloading rather than dusting. I mix a pinch of calcium and vitamin supplements into water, then add this to the worms being stored in the fridge. When I go to use the worms (the next day usually), I rinse them before using. I am hoping that some of the calcium and vitamins are absorbed by the blackworms. Note that I have no evidence to support this actually working!

 

[merk199]

I do add calcium and vits to the container as well once a week. I also feed them a pinch of good flake once a week, and I make sure there is a good pc of corrugated in the culture as well to feed them. I rinse my worms every two days but I imagine that some of the calcium and vits have been taken in by the worms. As gross as it may sound I actually like feeding the blackworms. Its cool to see that molten pile of worm mass swarming on the flake..... Like a bad horror flick swamp monster or something....

 

[Willlis]

Blackworms are a pretty good food item for amphibians as is, they dont have the calcium phosphate ratio problems you do with crickets and what not. So as long as that is not all you are feeding I wouldnt worry about it too much.

 

[Ed]

Blackworms are a pretty good food item for amphibians as is, they dont have the calcium phosphate ratio problems you do with crickets and what not. So as long as that is not all you are feeding I wouldnt worry about it too much.

If you are feeding them to aquatic animals and the water the aquatics is kept in has a decent level of calcium then the amphibian will absorb calcium out of solution to balance out any imbalance. This doesn't always work as it depends on the phosphate level in your water or being released from the carbon filter.

Ed

 

[merk199]

I am feeding a variety of live right now. I am already keeping the live food why not kick it up a notch as Emeril says!!! I would like to be giving my guys the best!