(Strain of 12 individuals)
Live Blackworm: premium food for adult fish
What are Blackworm?
Blackworm (Lumbriculus variegatus) are slender, segmented aquatic worms, resembling tubifex but darker, thicker, and much more active. Measuring 2 to 5 cm, they burrow their heads into the substrate while wiggling their tails in the water. This captivating (and hypnotic) display stimulates fish to hunt, but is also fascinating to watch in a natural aquarium without fish. Raised in clean water, without muddy sediment or parasites, they arrive ready to use.
Why choose Blackworm?
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👍 Very rich in protein, iron, and fatty acids: boost growth, reproduction, and coloration.
- 💧 True aquatic worms: being 100% aquatic worms, they live in the tank as long as they are not preyed upon. In aquariums without fish, they form superb, numerous colonies, gathering into moving masses reminiscent of sea anemones.
- ✨ Live worms for sensitive or demanding fish; a premium alternative to live tubifex.
- 🔋 Low-tech compatible: they are detritivores that contribute to the long chain of the natural aquatic cycle and to the biodiversity of ecosystems such as ponds or unfiltered garden-container ecosystems.
- 🔄 Fascinating reproduction: if you decide to raise them separately from fish, you will discover their unique reproduction: the worms divide to form two viable individuals! Sexual reproduction, theoretically possible, has nevertheless never been observed.
Who are Blackworm intended for?
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Carnivorous and omnivorous fish: bettas, cichlids, corydoras, goldfish, koi...
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Hobbyists looking for premium live food to stimulate reproduction.
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Low-tech aquarists wanting to enrich the natural food chain or the biodiversity of their aquariums.
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Pond owners wishing to introduce discreet bottom-dwelling detritivores to manage organic matter settling on the bottom, for example alongside water lice.
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Educational projects focused on observing this detritivorous worm that reproduces by division.
Usage tips
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Feed without rinsing: Blackworm are relatively clean worms.
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Storage: up to one week in the refrigerator with regular water changes.
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To raise them or establish them in a natural aquarium, they need a substrate. Sand is ideal because they like to partially burrow into it.
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To feed them: if you feed your snails fragments of cooked vegetables, Blackworm will often join the feast. Otherwise, let them find food in the organic waste at the bottom.
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Comparison: also try our live tubifex to offer both species to your fish.
FAQ - Blackworm in aquariums
What is the difference compared with tubifex?
Blackworm are darker, more vigorous, and slightly thicker. They have the rare ability to reproduce by dividing their bodies.
Can they live in the aquarium?
Yes, if there are no fish to eat them, you can raise them and observe them for many years while watching their population increase.
Do I need to rinse them before use?
Not necessary: Blackworm are particularly clean worms.
Are they suitable for all fish?
Yes, except for strict herbivores. Perfect for fish that are difficult to feed.
Are they compatible with low-tech setups?
Absolutely: they are detritivores that have their place in the decomposition chain of organic waste, just like ramshorn snails, malaysian Trumpet Snail, or water lice.
Additional information
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Scientific name: Lumbriculus variegatus
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Size: 2 - 4 cm
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Packaging: strain of 12 live individuals (indicative weight: 17 g)
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Guarantee: parasite-free, preservative-free, and free from contaminated substrate
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Recommendation: although they naturally occur in ecosystems, as a matter of principle, please never release these organisms into the wild.
