Lee I am glad you responded. I can see your thoughts about a disease organism living in a worm possably being transmitted to a fish but as I said I believe it is a remote possability. It is also true that a disease living in a brine shrimp or feeder guppy could be transmitted.
I think it is less of a risk of a disease being transmitted from a fresh water fish to a salt water animal. I diden't say it was impossable.
As for diseases, any live food could possably transmit diseases to your fish but it is less likely for a fresh water animal to transmit a disease to a salt water animal.
I said it was less likely. There are many diseases that attack the outside of a fish like funguses or paracites that would not be able to survive in a saline envirnment.
I do not recommend worms as one of the best foods available lightly.
I also did not read it on the net or in a book. I have done my own research and I think I have studied and used live black worms longer than any medication has been studied. Medications are considered safe after they have been used in trials for years with few side effects. I have been feeding worms to fish for decades, not just occasionally, but almost every day. I have not lost a single fish to a disease in maybe fifteen years, I can't even remember the last one. But I have spawned and am still spawning many fish. My oldest one died by accident at 18 years of age.
I think the benefits of live blackworms far outweigh any minor risks.
Our government just recalled millions of pounds of beef. It is a minor risk to eat beef but we eat it because of the benefits.
My reasoning on the benefits of live worms is the fact that when a fish eats a worm, it eats the entire worm including the guts where most of the oils are. Worms, like fish have no fats, just oils. While I am not a researcher and have no written facts of the benefits of blackworms I have read about earthworms which are supposed to be a very healthy food loaded with Omega 3 oils, vitamin D and A.
As you know the diet of most fish in the sea is whole fish. The guts of the fish, mainly the liver is where the oils are found. As aquarists it is difficult to find apropriate sized whole fresh fish to feed out fish. IMO worms are the next best thing.
I do keep a large supply of worms on hand and I do feed them. I think you are correct that we don't know what the worms were eating before we fed them to our fish. I also think it is a mistake to keep them in the refrigerator which would almost stop their metabolism keeping them from eliminating whatever is in their intestines. I keep them well fed,in shallow water with an airstone where they live indefinately and seem healthy. I can't say that fish "Like" worms or that they "like" anything but I do know that my fish will practically jump out of the water to get them.
My last moorish Idol died of an accident after almost five years with many of my fish. Five years old is not great by any stretch of the imagination but it is considered old by moorish Idol standards. It was fed blackworms almost every day which could have contributed to his lifespan.
Anyway, Lee, I respect your opinion and thank you for responding.
Take care.
Paul
