CPVFD325

I was just wondering if anyone happens to know what the maximum shelf life is for freeze dried tubifex worms? I recently found a box of old aquarium supplies i had from years past and found a container of tubifex worms.....im hesitant to feed them. but i cant imagine there being too much wrong with them.....any ideas?

COBettaCouple

Welcome to FishLore. Usually, 6 months is about as long as we will keep any fish food. Tubifex worms have the potential to introduce whirling disease into a tank population. Most are probably safe, but I won't feed them to our fish with all the other foods available.

CPVFD325

All tubifex worms? or just old ones? These are def. older than six months. lol. they are hittin the round file. I just purchased a Bala and was wondering what else i could feed. Im feeding Tetramin Tropical flakes.....but i also have some Nutrafin max spirulina algae flakes. I purchased those tonight for the two Pacus that i purchased......I feel like a bad tank owner now because of all the threads i ran across tonight....Just how fast do they grow? I guess i will play it by ear. A 400 gallon tank isnt going to happen. the biggest i could go will be a 125 and that will be awhile. They seem to be a really neat fish......anyway. Im just looking for alternative foods for a little variety.

COBettaCouple

Actually, freeze-dried tubifex worms are supposed to be the most at-risk of carrying the parasite causing whirling disease. If you got frozen cubes, be sure it's a top-brand like Hikari as the parasites causing whirling disease are very nasty and capable of going dormant for years.

It's a shame that they sell the Red Belly Pacu at the stores, not giving people any idea how HUGE a tank the "little" guys need. I remember a member posting the link to a website that takes in big fish - hopefully they'll reply to this as I forget the link. I think the Pacus grow pretty fast and they'd be wanting that 125g in less than a year, maybe even 6 months, but ChiefWaterChanger or Dino would know a lot more about them and they'll know the growth rate much better than I do. You could also search FishLore for Pacu threads. I think they like live foods like feeders or thawed, frozen foods like beef heart.

jsalemi

Thought freeze-dried tubifex worms were sterilized first? I've given my fish the Omega One ones on occasion, and haven't noticed any ill effects.

CPVFD325

I dont want to question you on this.....but. you stated....."You could also search FishLore for Pacu threads. I think they like live foods like feeders or thawed, frozen foods like beef heart." I thought Pacus were herbivores, thats what i was told......if not, that would be a useful bit of info...

COBettaCouple

Feel free to question, no 'experts' here since there's so much to know and always more to learn. Even members that I consider to be the most knowledgeable people around with lots of years of fish keeping experience (Like Dino ) will tell you they're still learning.

You're right, they are omnivorous but prefer vegetarian diets. I was thinking of their cousins (piranha). I'm sorry about that, my mistake. They will eat smaller fish though and most live plants if those are in the tank with them.
I mainly just know how big they get, but we do have members like Dino & CWC who have experience with them and know a lot more about them.

I would look into a home for them. 350-400g is the absolute minimum for them and really a tank more like 1200-2000g would be more suitable. Some public aquariums can house them if they have an exhibit for that type of fish. (Be sure they don't plan to use them for food) or there are "monster fish rescue" organizations around the country like:
http://aquaticpredators.com/forums/i...0&#entry345696