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How to Feed Ribbon Leeches

Ribbon leeches, or Nephelopsis obscura, are a type of leech found in cold-weather climates, such as Minnesota and Wisconsin. The leeches are not blood-sucking, but instead have small jaws with tiny teeth that actually eat flesh. The leeches can also swallow smaller foods whole, such as insect larvae and small worms. Feeding leeches to use for bait is not an exact science, but rather a journey of trial and error to find the best feeding diet and amount for your particular batch of leeches.

Things You'll Need

Shallow pond
Ribbon leeches
Dead insects
Insect larvae
Snails
Scuds
Worms

Instructions

- 1
  Keep the leeches in a cool, shallow pond area with plenty of shade. Leeches spend most of their time in the shade. If you want to keep the leeches in an indoor aquarium, simulate the pond environment in a household aquarium tank.
- 2
  Feed the leeches once or twice a day. Feed the leeches a variety of foods until you find the food that your particular leeches are the most fond of. Drop in dead insects, worms, insect larvae, scuds and snails. If any food remains the following day, then you are feeding the leeches too much.
- 3
  Adjust the amount of food that you give the leeches so that all of the food given to them that day is consumed that day. The leeches should hungrily attach to the food when it is dropped into the cage or pond. If they do not immediately go after the food when it is dropped into the water, then you are feeding them too much. Reduce the amount of food you give the leeches and continue to adjust until you have the correct balance. There is no particular ratio for feeding the leeches. It will change based on the number and size of the leeches.

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