Tubifex questions

[TigerPaw]

Hello guys, i am new here.

Just to make sure first, are these tubifex worms?

Sorry for the bad quality of the image, my cellphone isn't the best of models.

Anyway, next question is if i have heard numeros times that tubifex worms are not very nutrious and good as food to feed your newts, i would like to ask why and what adverse effects would it have if i use this as the primary food source(for my newts) for long term.

And also i would like to mention that my Chinese fire belly newts do not like to eat dry food or frozen food and only eats live worms and the only worms available in my area are tubifex, so what can i do about this?

 

[Mark]

It's impossible to tell from such a blurry photo.

Tubifex are quite nutritious but they contain fatty acids which make them a bad choice of staple. Of more concern are the methods for growing commercial tubifex. They feed on anaerobic bacteria and therefore thrive in polluted waters. Commercial tubifex are often grown in effluent run-off from fish farms and the risks of them carrying disease is high.

I use them from time to time when rearing larvae and have never had a death I could attribute to them. For adult newts you're much better off using live earth worms (chopped if necessary) or training them to feed on frozen blood worm.

Oh, and welcome to the forum!

 

[TigerPaw]

It's impossible to tell from such a blurry photo.

I took 2 more pictures with my cellphone, these 2 are clearer.

Is it possible to identify them now?

I use them from time to time when rearing larvae and have never had a death I could attribute to them. For adult newts you're much better off using live earth worms (chopped if necessary) or training them to feed on frozen blood worm.

The problem is that i don't know if my chinese fire belly newt is a juvenile or an adult, i just bought it around 2 weeks ago from a pet shop(which only sells aquatic animals). I don't even know if it is captive bred.

 

[TigerPaw]

Someone please answer, bump.

 

[Otterwoman]

It's hard to tell if they are tubifex or blackworms, or perhaps bloodworms. If it were the US and they were alive, they would probably be blackworms, because bloodworms are not sold live in the US as far as I know; but from what I've read, they are available live in England or Britain or whatever it's called.
But as your location is Singapore, I don't know what is commonly available there. Does anyone?

If they are pretty red, they are probably bloodworms. If they are brownish or darker, they are blackworms. I've never seen live tubifex, but I think they are brownish as well, perhaps a bit lighter than blackworms, but I don't believe they're red. Bloodworms seem also, to my eye, sort of segmented, whereas blackworms and tubifex are like smooth wiggly hairs. Does this help? If anyone can elaborate better than I have, please do.
If they turn the water red when they are dead, then they are bloodworms.

 

[krk11]

Hello Tigerpaw, I really can't tell what worms are in the pictures, but hope this photo will help you.
The worms all bunched up are live tubifex, the darker one on the bottom is a blackworm. Don't have live bloodworms here where I live.

 

[Jennewt]

Tigerpaw - I would say that your worms are Tubifex, or something very closely related. They are not blackworms, and they are not bloodworms. As Mark said, tubifex are perfectly nutritious, but some people say to avoid them because of the filthy places where they are grown.

Nice photo, krk. Do you grow your own, or is there a place in HI that sells them?

 

[krk11]

Jennewt, I got these from a pet store here in HI.

 

[lonlangione]

Hello,

All worms shown in the pictures are tubifex. Tubifex are red and thinner than blackworms. I would love to get a hold of some tubifex here in the US. There is a tubifex breeder in Singapore who is producing them in a controlled environmet and they are not raised in sewers. The problem is I have to buy 100 pounds of them to get them into the US. Anyone on this thread in the US with tubifex, where did you obtain your tubifex?

Thank you, Lon Langione e-mail - lonlangione@comcast.net