What is the diference between bloodworms and mosquito larvae? Are they the same, just coloring difference because of their food source? Which has a higher nutritional value for a community tank, Angels and loaches?
Bloodworms vs Mosquito Larvae?
- Thread starter Nuts4fish
- Start date
Bloodworms are a worm, while mosquito larvae are just that--the larval stage of a mosquito. In terms of nutrition, I think blood worms have slightly more protien. Rather than going with either/or, I'd use a mix, alternating as you run out of one. The variety will be better for the fish. Are you looking at frozen, freeze dried, or fresh?
Actually, the bloodworms fed to fish are a midge-fly larvae which is similiar to a mosquito but most midge flies don't bite.
http://www.tiscali.co.uk/reference/dictionaries/animals/data/m0063586.html
Not all--the cultured live blood worms are an aquatic worm--I thought. At least, they multiplied and never metamorphed into a fly...Hmmm. Guess I've never paid that much attention to the frozen ones, since I don't feed them often anymore.
Although I'm fairly sure the protein % is higher in bloodworms, I don't feed the wigglers very often - have had a couple bad experiences with disease. Live mosquito larvae have never given me problems.
OrionGirl said:
Nah they are midge larvae, you might be thinking of tubifex worms(they might be larve too though).
I think it partially depends on the fish as to which is more healthy for it. Mosquito larvae is possibly the best food you can feed your rainbowfish because it resembles their natural diet. However both bloodworms and larvae are quality foods I'd say. Anything alive or was once alive is usually good.
San Francisco Bay Frozen White Mosquito Larvae (glassworms)
Crude Protein Min 5.40%
Crude Fat Min 1.10%
Crude Fiber Max 1.00%
Moisture Max 93.00%
Dry Protein 77%
vs. San Francisco Bay Frozen Bloodworms
Crude Protein Min 4.50%
Crude Fat Min 0.20%
Crude Fiber Max 0.70%
Moisture Max 95.00%
Dry Protein 90.00%
San Francisco Bay Frozen White Mosquito Larvae (glassworms)
Crude Protein Min 5.40%
Crude Fat Min 1.10%
Crude Fiber Max 1.00%
Moisture Max 93.00%
Dry Protein 77%
vs. San Francisco Bay Frozen Bloodworms
Crude Protein Min 4.50%
Crude Fat Min 0.20%
Crude Fiber Max 0.70%
Moisture Max 95.00%
Dry Protein 90.00%
Captain Hook said:
i'm suprised at the nutritional value of mosquito larvae - figured they would be much lower that blood worms, especially in terms of crude fiber. I guess my fish are lucky to have such a considerate caregiver like me! I definitely agree on the importance of live foods being beneficial to fish that find them in their natural habitat i.e. guppies and gouramis.
I do wonder how the above mentioned nutritional data varies throughout the natural world.
There are two critters that are given the name of bloodworm. One is the midge larvae that most of us feed our fish in a frozen form. The other is an actual marine worm that is often used for bait. So no one is wrong here since there are actually two seperate species with the common name of bloodworm.