How long do frozen bloodworms last?

[badmana]

It’s rather strange because the package doesn’t say.

I have 2 unopened frozen packages of bloodworms and I used one today (I kinda forgot I had them). They’ve probably been frozen for the last 2 months.

I noticed the worms weren’t dark red but somewhat brown/clear coloured. Should I throw out the packages?

How long do they last? I don’t go through them very quickly (the only package I could find were 3 baggies for $15 CAN) and with only 5 fish (1 Betta and 4 Guppies) without overfeeding I’m only going to be able to go through a package a month…maybe less.

Can/would they poison my fish? They have eaten them but not as quickly as they used to…maybe they don’t like stale food?

Thanks!

[alice_in_wonderland]

@badmana

It’s rather strange because the package doesn’t say.

I have 2 unopened frozen packages of bloodworms and I used one today (I kinda forgot I had them). They’ve probably been frozen for the last 2 months.

I noticed the worms weren’t dark red but somewhat brown/clear coloured. Should I throw out the packages?

How long do they last? I don’t go through them very quickly (the only package I could find were 3 baggies for $15 CAN) and with only 5 fish (1 Betta and 4 Guppies) without overfeeding I’m only going to be able to go through a package a month…maybe less.

Can/would they poison my fish? They have eaten them but not as quickly as they used to…maybe they don’t like stale food?

Thanks!

If they’re frozen the whole time (and not thawed and then re-frozen) they should be fine, although perhaps a bit freezer burnt. I know my fish love the blood worms, but they’re always a touch less enthusiastic if the package has been in the freezer for a while - I imagine that the taste and smell isn’t as platable. However, none of them have died from eating them (at least not yet).

I will point out that freezer burnt food has very little of its original food value left - my guys get pellets, live food, freeze dried shrimp as well as the blood worms, so their diet is pretty rounded - if all you’re giving your guys is the blood worms, you may want to supplement it with some flakes. (Think of the blood worms as more of a “free from food value desert”).

[Duck_Duck_Goose]

I will point out that freezer burnt food has very little of its original food value left

Er, I’d have to quibble with this. Freezer-burned food is dried-out and unpleasant, but it’s still nutritious.

http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/qa-sto3.html

Does “freezer burn” make food unsafe?

Freezer burn is a food-quality issue, not a food safety issue. It appears as grayish-brown leathery spots on frozen food. It occurs when air reaches the food’s surface and dries out the product. This can happen when food is not securely wrapped in air-tight packaging. Color changes result from chemical changes in the food’s pigment. Although undesirable, freezer burn does not make the food unsafe. It merely causes dry spots in foods. Cut away these areas either before or after cooking the food. When freezing food in plastic bags, push all the air out before sealing.

Sign me,

ATE IT ANYWAY

[Duck_Duck_Goose]

Dang this slow server. Left out, that it’s dried out, but the protein and stuff is still there.

You’re told to discard the frozen part because it’s nasty and tastes bad, not necessarily because it’s non-nutritious.

http://www.cpma.ca/en/hnfs/freezingguide.html
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/BODY_HE384

[badmana]

My little guys (guppy girls actually) get flakes and freeze-dried brine shrimp. The blood worms were supposed to be a treat (except about forgetting the packages in the freezer!).

Well, I’m going to finish the package I opened and get rid of the last frozen bag. They aren’t all that interested anymore in them! Maybe they really do taste bad to them.

I figure freeze-dried blood worms are the way to go.

Thanks guys!

[psychomonkey]

Freeze dried bloodwroms are actually palatable to few fish in my experience. Bettas especially exchew them for the real thing or even pellets. And yes, when I’m bored at work I do conduct betta taste tests .