FlyTrapCare Forums

So for those who have used freeze dried bloodworms to feed their seedlings or adult plants, specifically VFTs, do the bloodworms you use have anything extra in them? I bought some at the pet store and after reading the label I've found out that they have vitamin supplements like vitamin E, B12, and C. Will this hurt the seedlings I'm going to use them for? Thanks.

It's been circulating that enriched freeze dried blood worms with vitamin E may cause a trap to go black. I personally haven't tested it out where I didn't want to risk it but I use freeze dried blood worms from Wal-Mart which is the Tetra one and so far so good. For baby seedlings, it's quite hard to hand feed them but you can try. I just use Maxsea 16-16-16 once every two weeks for the tiny ones.

I use the freeze dried blood worms with vitamin E for all my plants except utrics(obviously), sarracenia and VFTs. Though I have noticed that when I use it on my capensis, the leaves blacken much more quickly than normal, but only my burmannii and spatulata/tokaiensis don't seem to mind the food. Do you grow your VFT indoors, or do you just want to supplement what they're already catching (if outdoors)

Well I'm specifically going to use them for my Venus Flytrap seedlings. They're about one month old and I think I could try feeding their tiny traps.

I am using "Omega One" brand with no issues.

optique wrote: ↑Sun Sep 22, 2019 10:59 pm I am using "Omega One" brand with no issues.

What plants have you tried it with? I'm interested in getting this specific brand.

VTF's and Capes, bloodworms are very rich so small amounts is what i recommend.

As of 2020 i have not fed my flytraps at all they are outside so they get plenty, and my inside capes i have been feeding 'tetra bettamin small pellets' crushed, wet until a paste and i use a needless syringe to apply and a wooden toothpick for feeding seedlings. this seems to work better for me then bloodworms

I have also had really good results feeding the betta pellet made paste to sarracenia post351556.html#p351556

Coco wrote: ↑Sun Sep 22, 2019 2:19 am It's been circulating that enriched freeze dried blood worms with vitamin E may cause a trap to go black. I personally haven't tested it out where I didn't want to risk it but I use freeze dried blood worms from Wal-Mart which is the Tetra one and so far so good. For baby seedlings, it's quite hard to hand feed them but you can try. I just use Maxsea 16-16-16 once every two weeks for the tiny ones.

What mixture and how exactly are you using it to feed seedling flytraps? How much does it speed up the little ones growth?

I also do the Omega One bloodworms. I've used them on virtually everything outside of Sarracenia because I never had to. VFTs, Neps, Cephalotus, Drosera, Byblis. I haven't had any real issues. However, I've dusted them to make a more compact "concentrate" of nutrients and when I've fed the traps, they've sat on it for a long time. Some have gone black over time and some do not open back up (At least that I noticed).

I haven't sprayed Maxsea on VFT seedlings (actually planning on doing that next week). Personally I plan to use 1/2 tsp per gallon. I'll typically test it out on a leaf with a small brush to see where I'm at with concentration because worst case it'll burn out the leaf. Honestly though, I've had no troubles fertilizing Maxsea on VFTs even upwards of once a week at that dilution. Wouldn't recommend that for everyone though because people have their own measures for spraying CPs lol. I would say my sprays end up being half of what people typically do. I don't usually have runoff on my plants (Sarracenia and Neps I will go harder on). I personally believe a frequent supply of lower dosages would be more effective than a large supply in one go.

Apollyon wrote:I personally believe a frequent supply of lower dosages would be more effective than a large supply in one go.

Totally agree with that!

I just started with all natural bloodworms too, I'm yet to see how they get on. One thing is for sure, having to stimulate digestion is a real pain. The only easy bugs I can find around here are woodlice and the plants struggle to digest them and end up killing off traps. Has anyone noticed any growth increase from using bloodworms? I know a lot of people say they do.

Propag8 wrote:I just started with all natural bloodworms too, I'm yet to see how they get on. One thing is for sure, having to stimulate digestion is a real pain. The only easy bugs I can find around here are woodlice and the plants struggle to digest them and end up killing off traps. Has anyone noticed any growth increase from using bloodworms? I know a lot of people say they do.

Sure man. Especially on smaller VFTs that don't have as much room to capture decent insects. Sometimes they'll nab an ant or something but the bloodworms help to get smaller traps the energy they need to grow bigger leaves. It isn't essential but it does help. My purple ambush got reduced to nothing and sprouted quarter inch traps. Used bloodworms to help it recover faster. It's actually impressive how far along it's come.

That's good to hear after all that trap massaging lol. Ive fed one trap on each of my plants and managed to put a tiny piece on the end of a skewer and get some in my G10 which is tiny at the moment. Looking forward to watching how they respond. Like you said apollyon I could of never fed my smallest plants in fact I never have as I couldn't find anything small enough. The G10 has been very slow growing hopefully this will speed it up.

New VFT owner, recently had to deal with repotting and finding aphids and fungus mites (I figured dormancy outside, during Winter in Central Scotland would be doable, but I fear it wasn't quite cold enough as it was in a greenhouse), I have read that bloodworms are good in a different forum (the name escapes me) but I have also heard you can just straight up put blood in the soil??
Some of the new heads that sprout are black as they curl out of the leaf, and the others are going black on the teeth and leaves too, I'm really upset about it and am at a loss of what to do...

Any thoughts on that from more experienced growers?
Also, links to bloodworms that didn't kill off your plants?

Here's what I use for a while with no problems: https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostor ... lsrc=aw.ds

I have never heard of putting bloodworms in the soil to stop pests, or blood for that matter. I have no idea what that means and sounds a little disturbing.

But I believe aphids and fungus gnats are both killed off pretty well by neem oil. A neem oil solution can be used to soak the soil and also as a foliar spray.

Also, I know you're new but this thread is two years old and a lot of your questions pertain more to your plants than the general focus of the topic. I'd suggest to make a new thread asking for help and you'll get the help you need.