I want have carnivore and detritivore planarians in captivity and i dont now what is the best way for to prepair food for them.
Hello Jordi,
Do you want the food to be easily prepared, or similar to the sorts of foods they'd eat in the wild?
Most planarians will eat liver (beef, lamb or chicken). Store it frozen in small bits, then cut it into tiny pieces and drop it into their container. Try not to give them more than they can eat in half an hour or so, and when they have finished eating, make sure you clean away any residues so the water doesn't become foul.
I used to work with some of our Australian planarians, Cura pinguis, many years ago. I found that they didn't really like liver very much and didn't grow well, but they loved chicken kidney, of all things, and grew and bred happily on that. I'd feed them, leave them for the half hour, and then change the water and clean out the containers after feeding them.
If you want a more natural diet, I've seen them eat mayflies and chironomids, and they'd probably catch all sorts of small invertebrates. If you feed them brine shrimp, be careful not to add too much salt with the shrimp.
There's a bit of information in these websites:
https://www.southernbiological.com/planaria-care-guide/
https://www.carolina.com/teacher-resources/Interactive/care-guide-planaria/tr10534.tr
Laboratory Maintenance and Propagation of Freshwater Planarians. Makayla R. P. Dean, Elizabeth M. Duncan Curr Protoc Microbiol. 2020 December ; 59(1): . doi:10.1002/cpmc.120
Good luck! They are pretty amazing animals. I always found it fascinating watching their pharynx snaking out to reach their food!
Anne Colville
Hello Anne,
Initially, in order to keep alive the specimens I have, I would do it with food that is easy to prepare, but if I see that with the means I have I can give a diet as close to what they have in the natural environment, I will do it. Thank you very much for your quick response.
Jordi Blavia
Feeding freshwater carnivorous planarians, such as those from the genus *Dugesia*, involves providing them with a diet primarily consisting of small aquatic animals or suitable meat sources. Here are some common foods for carnivorous freshwater planarians:
1. **Live Foods**:
- **Daphnia** (water fleas): Small and easily consumed.
- **Bloodworms**: A common choice, often available live or frozen.
- **Tubifex worms**: A favorite among many carnivorous planarians.
2. **Prepared Meats**:
- **Raw Fish**: Small pieces of raw, fresh fish can be given.
- **Shrimp**: Small bits of fresh or thawed shrimp.
- **Liver**: Tiny pieces of raw liver can be highly nutritious.
3. **Commercial Foods**:
- **Frozen Fish Food**: Bloodworms, brine shrimp, or other similar products.
- **High-Quality Fish Pellets**: Occasionally, finely crushed fish food pellets can be offered, though live or fresh foods are preferred.
To feed planarians, place the food near them and ensure it's small enough for them to consume. Remove any uneaten food after a few hours to prevent water quality issues. Feeding them 2-3 times a week is generally sufficient, depending on their size and activity level.
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