Why are insects/worms so expensive?

krish

Alright, I know it is harder to grow these stuff, but they're exorbitantly priced.. I want to feed my fish these, but to buy them, and a variety of foods, It costs so much! I only have a 29 gallon tank, so breeding my own insects probably won't save me much, right? I haven't gone to one yet, but do LFS's sell them cheaper? I'll take any thing I can get my hands on....I live in bay ARea, does anyone know any stores that sell these stuff cheaper, or in bulk?

Mikaila31

Its easy enough to raise misquito larvae if you just leave a bucket of water outside.
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SinCrisis

But then you gotta deal with the adult mosquitoes flying around, and some aren't very friendly and can carry parasites or disease...

Where in california? I would imagine you can trap some yourself if you really want. In NJ, i leave my window open and i put a lamp behind my screen, the smaller insects get through and i just net them up in a fine mesh net and feed them to my fish as treats.

TwilightGuy

krish, you're probably not going to find a LFS with live insects for fish food but they probably sell live worms and brine shrimp. The problem with any kind of bulk quantity, however, is keeping them alive long enough, and you end up being a worm keeper as well as a fish keeper. Have you considered frozen foods? I use frozen brine shrimp and frozen bloodworms as an additional food besides flakes and fish love them.

krish

Hi, sorry if I was unclear. Even frozen, freeze dried and/or dried stuff is fine, just I want to feed insects to them. However, it still costs a bunch. Is Petco/Petsmart any cheaper than LFS's or is it the other way around? Once again, I will take anything, dead or alive.

spkehl

I have been looking at sites on how to raise your own worms. I just have to talk my wife into it.

Calmwaters

Here I can get the same brand of frozen foods for $4.00 cheaper at petsmart than I can get it at the small LFS. I would pay $1-2.00 more to help out the small store but $4.00 is a bit much.

krish

Alright, I understand how this stuff works. So what is the cheapest stuff I can feed my fish without getting them sick? I just think all these stuff, frozen or freeze dried, or whatever still costs too much, IMO. thanks!

Calmwaters

A good flake food like Omni and then I get a frozen that has a variety in it each bubble pack is different. It has bloodworm, daphnie, brine shrimp, and I can't remember what the other is right now and I am to tired to go get it out of the fridge. LOL The good thing is even though its expensive you don't have to buy it often because it last a while.

TwilightGuy

Ah, the Jesse James approach huh... wanted dead or alive.

To be honest, I have never been much of a price watcher, at gas stations, grocery stores or anywhere else. I'm more about convenience, which I'm sure is less economical. I buy from a LFS that I drive right past on my way home from work, but I'd be willing to bet that the pet store chains are cheaper. I don't know about insects though, just critters that live in water.

If I see any bug bargains, I'll let ya know.