Harvesting and freeze drying of bloodworms in Tianjin, China:

information provided by

Liu Fengqi

Tianjin Rocky Company, Jin Guan Li 13-3-603, Wangdingdi, Tianjin 300191, China, e-mail: wtctj@mail.zlnet.co.cn

There is a great population of bloodworms in freshwater fish ponds and rivers in Tianjin, China. Live bloodworms are all year round harvested by local farmers. In October-March, the majority of fish ponds are empty of fishes, but have 30-40 cm water. These ponds are very suitable for harvesting live bloodworms, which distribute in the mud of pond bottom. In early April, almost all the bloodworms begin to molt and fly to the sky. There will be a shortage of live bloodworms in this season. In early May, the next generation of

bloodworms appear with a greater population. The best season for harvesting live bloodworms begins and lasts to the end of June, when the raining season begins and there will be some difficultities in harvesting because of the deeper waters. In May-June, most of the bloodworms are harvested in rivers, because in this season the fish ponds are used to raise freshwater fishes. However, when the cultured fishes are harvested in October, there will be a great amount of bloodworms in the bottom of fish ponds and then the bloodworms are

harvested by the farmers. The harvested bloodworms are washed with clear water several times and then frozen and freeze dried at a newly established freeze drying plant in Tianjin, China. Freeze dried bloodworms are good feeds for ornamental fishes.

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Date: 19 Sep 97

From: "Kirk Hahn, Ph.D" <abalone2@earthlink.net>

To: aqua-l@killick.ifmt.nf.ca