How to Care for Live Bloodworms

Locate bloodworm eggs by searching a local pond or stream in your area. Lift up sticks, the leaves of vegetation and other plant matter floating on the water. The blood worm eggs look like bits of mucus with tiny black spots and are collected by grabbing the plant or other matter they are found under.

Place the bloodworm eggs into a glass or plastic aquarium that is filled with warm, dechlorinated water. Place the larval eggs inside the water and allow them to grow and hatch, which will take anywhere from 1 to 2 days. Store the aquarium in a dark, warm place to help the process along.

Pour some commercial micro-foods into the tank, which is available at pet stores and are manufactured from decomposed organic matter, including horse and cow manure. Sprinkle the food onto the top and allow the growing bloodworms to consume their fill before filtering out the remaining food and throwing it into the trash. Feed the bloodworms every two to six days.

Harvest the bloodworms before their growth cycle ends, which typically occurs after 10 to 13 days after hatching. Pull them out with an aquarium net and use the bloodworms immediately by pouring them into your fish tank or bait bucket. Freeze or refrigerate any remaining bloodworms for later use in a plastic container.