The Puffer Forum

I know several of you keep live blackworms for your fish. What is a reliable source in the US, please?
I had one horrible experience with an eBay seller, don't want to do that again.

Thanks.

If you can't find them here check out Simply Discus. I think a lot of them may feed live BW. Calling your local stores might work. While our store doesn't sell them they have an employee that buys them regularly and is happy to sell some too.

My LFS almost always has them in stock- unless they run out before the weekly shipment from California Blackworms. I use them routinely for conditioning rainbows and my small Cichlids. They were staples for the DPs when I was keeping those.

You might contact

http://blackworms-direct.com/

To ask about the closest dealer to you.

I'm sorry, I should have mentioned that nobody in our area carries them. I will have to get them from an online dealer. Thanks!

ETA: checking that link RTR, that's the vendor who sold me two batches of dead worms He sells on eBay also.

If you have dealt with him directly and had good success, I'll try once more. The guy I got them from racked up a lot of negative FB right around the time I got mine -apparently he sold a lot of dead worms to a lot of folks.

Also, do a search for California blackworms.

Carolina Biological in NC has them... maybe worth calling to see how many come in this kit:

http://www.carolina.com/product/lumbric ... estMatches

I have a friend in Chicago that sells California organic blackworms. I have bought them for my fish and they loved them. I think you have to rinse them everyday to keep them alive for a long time, like for 2 weeks or a month, he will tell you. If you are interested I will ask him tonight the best way to get ahold of him, he has a website but I forgot what it is.

Sarah

I spend $20 every 10 days for a lb of them from Coral Reef in Norridge. Please post the info here for your Chgo source!
I found this: http://organicblackworms.com/

The source I cited is where my LFS gets theirs and have for years with very few problems.

I buy blackworms from CR in Norridge as well PP. The last time I got them (2 scoops)and when I got home and opened the small container the smell was very bad. I got rid of them.

I scoop out my own. That way I'm sure not to get the dead ones on the bottom. I also know when the fresh ones come in.

Could the dead ones create any health issue?

PP makes a very valuable point. If you are getting live foods locally, it is wise and prudent to know when they come in at the LFS. For blackworms, I want mine the next day - that allows some stratification time and the surface scoops are most free of transit injury and deaders. After that the culture degenerates slowly until exhausted. At home in blue worm boxes with periodic rinsing, they are quite lasting for me.

Some live foods I might get on the day of delivery, but for the worms I want the bulk to settle a bit before my week's supply is taken from the surface.

HTH

Once there are dead ones, I either separate them if possible or toss everything.

This has turned into a most excellent source of info on blackworms - thanks everyone!