Live Blackworms

To protect this live food and to ensure it arrives in good condition, live blackworms ship directly from our dedicated breeding partner using expedited overnight service.

Live Blackworms (Lumbriculus variegatus), also sold as California blackworms, are a protein-rich live food that axolotls take readily. Their constant movement triggers a natural hunting response, which makes them particularly useful for picky eaters and for animals that need to put on size.

We offer them in four sizes, from a quarter pound for a single axolotl up to a full pound for multiple animals or a breeding collection.

About This Food

Blackworms are a soft-bodied aquatic worm with no hard shell or exoskeleton, so they are easy to digest and suitable for axolotls at every stage from juvenile through adult.

They are high in protein and moisture and are widely used as a conditioning food for animals recovering from illness, transitioning between diets, or being prepared for breeding.

Because they stay alive and active at the bottom of the aquarium, blackworms encourage foraging behavior that pellets and frozen foods do not.

Feeding

Rinse thoroughly in clean, cold, dechlorinated water before every feeding and discard any water the worms were stored in.

Offer only what the animal will finish in a single sitting, using feeding tongs, a turkey baster, or a worm feeder to keep the portion contained. Remove anything uneaten to protect water quality.

Blackworms work best as a supplement alongside a staple of sinking axolotl pellets and earthworms rather than as a sole diet.

Care and Storage

Keep blackworms refrigerated in a shallow container holding roughly half an inch of clean, cold, dechlorinated water. Depth matters more than volume, as a shallow layer keeps them oxygenated.

Change the water once or twice daily, rinsing the worms and removing any dead material or debris each time. Properly maintained, a batch will keep for one to two weeks.

Healthy blackworms clump tightly together and disperse when disturbed. A batch that has gone slack, pale, or foul smelling should be discarded rather than fed.

What We Like About This Food

• Protein-rich live food that axolotls rarely refuse
• Movement triggers natural hunting and foraging behavior
• Soft-bodied and easy to digest at every life stage
• Excellent for picky eaters and conditioning
• Available in four sizes for one animal or many
• Keeps for one to two weeks with simple refrigerated care

Important Notes

Never add the shipping or storage water to an aquarium. Rinse the worms thoroughly before every feeding.

Live foods are perishable and should be unpacked and moved into refrigerated storage as soon as they arrive. Portion weights are approximate.

Feed appropriate amounts and remove uneaten worms promptly. Excess blackworms left in the aquarium will foul the water and may burrow into the substrate.