If you’re a fish enthusiast, you probably always search for the best ways to maintain the health and well-being of your aquatic companions. Consider live food, particularly Aulophorus, also referred to as the water snake. It’s an interesting option. This little organism can add a boost of natural nutrition to your fish’s diet even though it might not slither through your aquarium.
Water snakes, or Aulophorus, are small, slithering creatures that provide aquarium fish with an abundant supply of vital nutrients. Live Aulophorus, as opposed to processed fish food, can encourage your fish’s innate hunting instincts and offer a more varied diet. Fish that are healthier, more colorful, and have higher activity levels can result from this.
It is not too difficult to incorporate Aulophorus into your aquarium feeding schedule. Numerous fish species are happy to include these easily cultivated organisms in their diet. To maintain the stability of your aquatic environment and the happiness of your fish, just make sure you give them in moderation and as part of a balanced diet.
Live Aulophorus can completely change the diet of your fish, whether you’re keeping a lively saltwater tank or raising vibrant freshwater species. Thus, think about including these fascinating water snakes in your fish’s diet if you want to improve the ecosystem in your aquarium and provide your fish with a delicious treat.
Aspect | Details |
Common Name | Water Snake |
Scientific Name | Aulophorus sp. |
Type | Live food |
Appearance | Small, elongated, worm-like |
Size | Typically 1-2 inches |
Habitat | Freshwater environments |
Feeding | Excellent for fish that eat live food |
Benefits | High in protein, stimulates natural hunting instincts |
Care | Requires clean, oxygenated water |
Purchase | Available at pet stores specializing in fish |
- Breeding at home
- Aulophorus does not breed
- How to get an aulophorus
- Subtleties of maintenance
- How to feed fish and fry with aulophorus
- Video on topic
- Aulophorus (water snake) breeding and feeding fish with it
- FISH FOOD. AULOPHORUS OR WATER SNAKE. BREEDING
- AULOPHORUS MAINTENANCE AND BREEDING! LIVE FOOD FOR AQUARIUM FISH ALL YEAR ROUND! WATER SNAKE
- Aulophorus = water snake. Live food for aquarium fish all year round
- Aulophorus. Water snake. Live food.
Breeding at home
Most importantly, worms reproduce fairly steadily at room temperature and at temperatures above freezing. Sharp variations are not desired when cultivating aulophorus.
The most widely used methods for home breeding are:
- Water method. Allows you to breed clean worms without impurities.
- Semi-aquatic. The most popular option among aquarists, suitable for beginners.
Before utilizing aulophorus as food, wash and filter them as they retain waste materials.
Container | A container with low sides up to 10 cm. |
Substrate | Foam sponge. |
Water | Temperature 22–28 C, chlorine-free. |
Aeration | Make small holes in the lid that will close the container. |
After adding water to the container, position the sponge so that its upper portion is 2-3 mm above the water’s edge. On it, plant the aulophorus. Snakes make their living with porous textures.
After scattering the chosen food over the substrate, cover the container and store it in a dark area. In order to feed, Aulophorus larvae exit the pores and enter the "dry" area. Due to their adaptation to a new environment, they initially hide inside a sponge, but after a few days they start to come to the surface in order to actively feed and reproduce.
You should only feed the Aulophorus when necessary because if they are left without time to consume the bait, the substrate might rot and develop an unpleasant odor.
Since the worms’ home gets dirty easily, it is preferable to use a sponge. It is crucial to wash the substrate and replace the water because if you neglect to clean the snakes in a timely manner, they might perish. The sponges are repeatedly cleaned in the container under light pressure, after which the soiled water is drained and the process is repeated. You should not be afraid; the snake will not suffer any harm. It will remain concealed within the sponge. Change the water every other day and wash the sponges every two to three days to avoid an unpleasant odor. It takes two weeks to breed.
Aulophorus does not breed
Aulophorus can become dead or stop developing due to insects. Fruit flies appear most actively in the summer and disappear with the final autumnal harvests. Fruit, especially rotten fruit, and the aroma of fermentation serve as their bait.
Fruit flies enter the container and deposit their larvae in the substrate. They then start to stifle the aulophorus culture. It’s simple to see this: flies will start to fly out of the container in large numbers as soon as you open the lid.
Sadly, there aren’t many options for self-defense. The first thing to do is to keep flies out of the container. Cover the lid with gauze or another mesh material to achieve this.
You will need to gather every larvae if flies have already taken up residence in the worm culture. Tweezers work best for this kind of work.
How to get an aulophorus
You can locate this helpful species in a natural reservoir instead of having to visit a pet store. They reside in areas with almost no fish, lots of algae on the bottom, and snags.
You will need a glass jar with a lid for fishing, and it must have holes made in it so that snakes can enter the container.
Put the bait in the jar:
- banana peel;
- pumpkin pulp;
- carrot peelings;
- cabbage.
For a few hours, the homemade trap is submerged in water or substrate. Use fresh running water to rinse the bait.
The worms will eventually sink to the bottom and take on the shape of distinctive balls. They need to be taken out and relocated to a container—an additional dwelling.
Subtleties of maintenance
Even though the species is primitive, pay attention to a few small maintenance details to make the aulophorus a true delicacy for the aquarium’s occupants. They are treasured as food and organic peacekeepers.
The mature individuals should be placed in a small aquarium with a water level of no more than 20 cm. The snakes’ life will be sustained with good aeration. An inexpensive feeder made of stretch gauze covering a foam frame would be the best choice. You can cover it with melon (pulp), carrots, bananas, nettles, and pumpkin pulp. Serve them immediately before feeding, either dried or fresh from the soak.
For hard veggies, like carrots, peel them ahead of time and freeze them. The vegetable should be scalded with boiling water and left in a bowl of water for a day before feeding.
This is essential to make it simple to peel the vegetable, which will facilitate feeding and stop bacteria from growing. Eggs or low-fat cottage cheese will provide a helpful source of protein for the mixture.
Aquarists have created the perfect meal recipe:
- 300 grams of clover;
- 100 grams of brewer"s yeast;
- 100 grams of carrots;
- 5 grams of daphnia;
- 2 grams of mineral fertilizers;
- 5 glucose tablets.
Blend the ingredients together until a paste is formed. The mixture will then become the consistency of dough after adding water. You can keep the product refrigerated.
Every day, replace up to 70% of the water. Inadequate aeration and contamination are indicated if the worms form clumps and start to float or adhere to the container walls.
The floating aulophorus will quickly die from inadequate aeration. Twenty percent of the worms should be taken out of the dishes each day because leaving them there encourages them to reproduce.
In order to provide your aquarium fish with extra nutrition, you might want to consider introducing live Aulophorus, also referred to as water snakes. These tiny, squirmy animals provide your fish with a variety of advantages for both health and behavior in addition to being a natural and entertaining food source. This post will go into great detail about the benefits of feeding Aulophorus, how to take care of these live foods, and how to make sure they enhance the ecosystem in your aquarium.
How to feed fish and fry with aulophorus
Using tweezers, gather the snakes and place them in a net made of thick material (tulle, organza, veil), then rinse them under running water.
Whole worms are consumed by large fish, but the ball needs to be divided. Some fish species have large aulophorus, which means the worms must be crushed with a sharp blade and then rinsed in a thick cloth before the fry will eat them.
These kinds of worms are frequently not used when first feeding fry of small fish species. On the other hand, aulophorus is used as supplemental food for pecilia, mollies, starting in their second week of life. You can freeze or crush worms.
Because each piece of aulophorus is alive and has the ability to degenerate into a unique individual, it is thought that it neither dies nor taints the water. The snake is edible at every stage of its life cycle.
The health and vibrancy of your aquarium fish can be significantly improved by using live food, and Aulophorus, also known as the water snake, is an interesting option. Many freshwater and marine species find it to be an enticing addition to their diets due to its distinctive movement and appearance. Presenting Aulophorus as live food will encourage your fish’s natural hunting instincts, which will increase their level of mental and physical activity.
Before adding Aulophorus, it’s crucial to take into account the particular requirements and compatibility of the other inhabitants of your tank. The response of each fish to this live food will vary, and some may show no interest at all. Make sure the Aulophorus is the right size for the fish you are feeding it to, as too big or too small of a prey might make it less effective or even dangerous.
In the case of live food management (e.g., Aulophorus), water quality must be maintained. Live food can occasionally bring illnesses or parasites into your aquarium, so be sure to get it from a reliable source and keep a close eye on your tank after feeding. Aulophorus can be a beneficial addition to your fish’s diet, improving their general health and giving their meals more variation, provided you take the appropriate safety measures.