How to Raise Bloodworms? Detailed Explanation of Breeding Methods and Technical Key Points
Bloodworms are the larvae of chironomid midges. They are widely distributed in water bodies and serve as a natural food source for many kinds of aquatic animals. They are especially favored by fishing enthusiasts. When artificially breeding aquatic animals, bloodworms are mostly chosen as feed, offering good economic returns and promising breeding prospects. So how should they be raised? Let's take a detailed look below.
1. Breeding Conditions
Bloodworms like to live in slightly flowing, nutrient-rich water, so this condition must be met during artificial breeding. In late spring and early autumn each year, bloodworms reproduce in large numbers, and at this time they float on the water surface, causing the water to appear brownish-red. At this point, they can simply be collected with a container. If breeding on a small scale, the bottom sludge can be taken back together with the bloodworms and placed in glass containers. It is best to use natural water for rearing. If tap water is to be used, it should first be placed in the sun for 2-3 days. During rearing, the water should be changed once a day. In low temperatures, cold protection measures should be taken, and a red moist towel can be used to cover the container to retain moisture. In addition, the container should preferably have a wide mouth, so that the bloodworms will float to the surface as if breathing. If the container opening is too small, it will cause death.
2. Controlling Light Sources
Light source is a key point in bloodworm breeding. Bloodworms cannot do without light, so the light must not be turned off at night. If there is no light source at night, bloodworms will be too lazy to breathe, which can easily lead to death. Therefore, at night, a small 5-watt bulb can be used to provide a light source.
3. Water Quality Regulation
During breeding, it is best to keep the water depth at 3-5 cm. In spring breeding, the water level can be slightly shallower during the day to raise the water temperature, while at night the water level can be appropriately deepened to keep warm and prevent cold. Bloodworms like a slightly flowing water environment, but if the water flow is too strong, it will carry away nutrients and eggs from the culture medium and also consume a large amount of the bloodworms' energy, which is unfavorable for increasing production. However, if the water flow is too weak, it is not conducive to the discharge of water and excrement, and can easily cause water quality deterioration and death. According to practical production experience, a water flow rate of 5-10 liters per second is the optimal water flow environment. In addition, bloodworms are extremely sensitive to pesticides and harmful substances, so this should be noted in water quality management. Do not use water that has been sprayed with pesticides or industrial wastewater.
4. Feed Feeding
Bloodworms mainly feed on organic detritus in the mud and especially like sweet and acidic bait. Poultry manure and domestic sewage are all their food. In professional farms, feed is generally made by fermenting materials such as rice bran, sawdust, sludge, and pigeon manure. For household breeding, yeast powder dissolved in water can be used for feeding. Feeding is also a key point in bloodworm production. Feeding in small amounts multiple times can increase yield. Generally, feed once every 3-4 days, with 50-100 kg of manure per mu each time, mixed with water and splashed over the whole pond. When feeding, pay attention to the amount of residual bait and do not blindly overfeed, so as to avoid excessive organic matter in the water causing fermentation and producing toxic substances that affect yield.
The above is how to raise bloodworms. We hope it can help you. If you want to learn more about breeding knowledge, please follow us.