Tubifex Worms

[emmac350]

I recently bought a jar of these (along with krill and plankton) from the pet store. I'm pretty sure these guys are safe, as the info on the jar was very encouraging, but please let me know if it isn't.

Tubifex Cubes Freeze Dried Food

Guaranteed Analysis:

Min. Crude Protein 55.0%
Min. Crude Fat 5.0%
Max. Crude Fiber 5.0%
Max. Moisture 9.0%
Min. Phosphorus 0.9%

Ingredients: Freeze Dried Tubifex Worms Only.

I broke up the cubes a bit before putting them in there, and the worms are TINY. I couldn't tell if they ate any of it or not, though. Maybe I'll put whole cubes in next time so I can see claw marks.

[ladybug15057]

Yepper, been feeding the freeze dried tubifex worms to these guys here for several years now. (Usually Hikari brand) Wash you hands well after handling them. (like we should do with most of their foods) But to put a whole cube in? I usually grind them up and offer them that way, less waste.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tubifex_tubifex

http://crabbywiki.com/tiki-index.php?pa ... ifex+Worms

[emmac350]

Awesome! I save my addiction store baggies after emptying them (like when I run out of rice puffs in the one bag, I reuse them!) so I put a few cubes in there and squished them as well as I could. There were still some decent-sized chunks in the bag, but it was much smaller than the cubes.

Do you notice your crabs going for them? The food bowls were both wet, to include the chunks of worm cubes, but I couldn't tell if they'd eaten them.

[ladybug15057]

All we can tell here is that the food dishes have been attacked and most of everything has been tried/eaten. This might be because we offer a bit too much? Like in our dry food dish there maybe about 15 or so different foods offered? (then at night a dish of fresh foods too)

Oh, one thing that is a little expensive that Hakai has out is the Spirulina and Brine shrimp. They seem to eat this better than just the plain spiruina.

[CrabbyJo]

I actually eyeballed these at the pet store today!
I have big plans to pick up quite a few items when my current stash becomes depleted.
Marie, is the red or green algae the same as seaweed? I notice it comes in sheets, but I didn't see any seaweed specifically at the pet store.
I just wish the containers weren't so pricey. $6 or more per container, and those are the small ones. I know they will last a long time, but it's a large initial expense. To get three things, that's almost $20. And I want 5. lol. Maybe I'll wait for another windfall. We have those from time to time.

[ladybug15057]

The type of seaweed I buy and have for several years now is that sold by Julian Sprungs. (the other seaweed sheets in the plastic containers as in SeaWeed select are VERY dry and do not have the 'smell' that the two little fishes do)
I have bought the Green and purple sea veggies:

http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.j ... Id=2755437

The green appears to be a little drier than the purple... it seems to be on the moist side. And as with majority of the food here, I do grind these as well in the blender. Less waste that way too. I put these inside of a jar where the lid is air tight to keep them fresher. But either or, the hermies here seem to eat more of the sprungs sea veggies as opposed to the dried ones sold in the clear plastic containers. (looks like a may need to update this some)
http://crabbywiki.com/tiki-index.php?pa ... ea+Veggies

[CrabbyJo]

Thanks Marie,
I'll definitely take a look to see if our pet store has this. I feel much better feeding my crabs a lot of seaweed and ocean plants. I feel like I just don't do them justice unless I can provide nutrients that are always available to them in the wild.

[emmac350]

Right now, the only algae/seaweed type stuff my guys get is spirulina, sea lettuce, and kelp granules. I don't think I've ever noticed the seaweed/algae at the pet store...I have seen veggie flakes, but I don't think that's the same thing.

Is the seaweed in the fish food aisle at the stores?

[ladybug15057]

Yes it is in the fish food area, and usually more where the salt water fish foods are. (at PetSmart I have found them where they also keep their ocean/sea salt mixes as opposed as with their other fish type foods... (Hakari fish foods)..Krill, plankton, tubifex worms, shrimps.. and their water conditioners.) At Petco, back with their fish foods, as well as Pet Supplies Plus (nowadays Burtons pets?) hanging towards the top of the other foods that are on the shelves.

[emmac350]

Awesome; I'll go check it out the next time we're in the town that has our one name-brand pet store. The mom and pop place doesn't have much, nor are their prices competitive except for the fact that the next closest pet store is 45 minutes away.