Moth food for fish

Moths are a very common live food for aquarium fish. A moth is the larva of a mosquito, but not one that bites. It comes in different sizes, which makes it possible to choose the right size of moth for a particular fish.

Fish eat moths with great pleasure, and no side effects have been detected in fish. Moths can be easily frozen and stored for a long time. With frozen moths to get into the aquarium infection is much more difficult than with live. Moths are sold in almost every pet store or fishing store (moths are very actively used for winter fishing).

Moth food for fish Description

The length of the moth can be from 10 to 25 millimeters, the color of this larva is bright red. It inhabits small lakes, ponds and river bays. Prefers to stay in silted soil. The moth feeds on the remains of organic matter, which are inside the silt or on its surface. Moths hatch from small gray larvae that emerge from tiny eggs laid by adult mosquitoes. Periodically these larvae molt, but after the first molt the larvae acquire the red coloration characteristic of moths.

Moths are considered the best live food for adult aquarium fish. When buying it in a pet store, it should be carefully inspected. The color of the moth should be red, but not scarlet.

If the color of the moth is bright red, then such a moth will not be stored for a long time. The larvae themselves should be elastic, the moth should move when touched. If the moth is dead, then feed the fish can not be, as they can be poisoned.

Moth food for fish Feeding preparation

Freshly caught moth to feed the fish is also not recommended, because together with it in the aquarium can be brought into the pathogenic flora from local water bodies. Freshly caught moths should be kept for about 3 days, during this time the intestines of the larvae will be cleaned, while the chance to bring into the general aquarium of various diseases is markedly reduced. Store moths in a cool place, for this is quite suitable for the refrigerator. If the moth is very much and there is no way to keep it alive, it can be frozen. To do this, it is necessary to spread the moth on a polyethylene film in a thin layer (it will not stick to the film), after its freezing, the resulting pancake is broken into pieces, put in a box and put in the freezer.

Habitation in nature

Moths can be found in many water bodies of Russia, but the density of larvae is too low, which does not allow to catch them in large quantities. Although there are large colonies, in this case it will be possible to stock up on moths for the winter.

There are many ways to keep moths alive, although each has its own challenges.

Moth food for fish Keeping moths fresh

1. You can store moth food for fish in a cloth bag that is placed in the toilet flush tank. The water there is quite cold, so the moths remain alive for some time. The fabric should be chosen dense enough so that the moths cannot escape.
2. You can find special moth trays in some pet stores. If it is not possible to buy a hoe box, you can buy a cat litter box. Water should be poured into the hoe box, and the water should touch the net on top. On the grid is laid moth, and live moth immediately tries to move into the water, and dead moth remains on the grid, it must be removed. This procedure will have to be repeated every day.
3. It is necessary to lay the sand in a layer of 2 centimeters on a flat container and pour water, and the water should cover the sand by 0.5 centimeters. When everything is done, you can lay out the moths. Live larvae will be buried in the sand, and the dead and very weak will remain on the surface. They should be drained off together with the top layer of water. Then add water again. After some time, mosquitoes may begin to emerge from the moths, but do not be afraid of them, they do not bite.
4. Many aquarists store moths in a damp cloth in the refrigerator, spreading the moths in a layer of no more than 1 centimeter.
5. The easiest way to keep moths for a long time is to freeze them in the freezer compartment of the refrigerator. Thaw the moths in a net under a stream of cool tap water.

Feeder

It is recommended to feed aquarium fish with moths using a feeder with holes, which floats on the surface of the water. The moth will gradually enter the water through the holes. This prevents the moths from quickly burrowing into the soil.

See also article Moth