Ayone ever kept horse leeches

[johnharper]

I have kept some leeches before along time ago but I do not know what kind they was. They was black though. Basically it was fish bait lol and I did not want to waste them so I kept them alive for a while by offering them night crawlers it worked for a while but I think their water got too hot and they did end all dieing. From what I have read the horse leeches are found in europe and they don't suck blood but are predators feeding on small fish , tadpoles , etc.


John

 

[dtknow]

Most leeches are predators. Apparently, the sp. you kept were also.

Keep them cold and well oxygenated. That is about it.

 

[BestRoach]

I tried to raise leeches, but my roomate threatend to move out. Alas, the thought of sharing a home with blood suckers is too much.

My roomate doesn't seem to mind the roaches however...so I guess I should count myself lucky

 

[johnharper]

Found someone who sells horse leeches and ribbon leeches. The ribbons had to been the one I had. I don't think the horse leeches are that common in the US as they originate from Europe. Any how heres the link. I think leeches are interesting critters though mine never laid any eggs.

http://www.lolbait.com/prices.htm

John

 

[ShellsandScales]

When I used to run a fish dept at a LPS leeches used to come in sometimes with fish orders. I always used to feed them to the brackish puffers and other more aggressive fish. The fish loved it!!!!

 

[invertoholic]

" very enterestin " lol i have thought about keeping some of them but i could never find any wild here in southern va i have tried all the vernal pools and ponds even looked for land leeches yet after 8 yrs oh looking still have had no luck anyone ever find them in the field in the area i live in?

 

[Galapoheros]

More than half of the time, I found them on big wild turtles like Sliders and Snappers. I never tried to keep any though.

 

[johnharper]

There is one species of leech in Georgia that you can see through it and you can see its veins its really cool.

 

[Water spider]

I have kept several species of leeches. I am not certain of the actual species, but they were all caught from the lake in Finland. They were predatory, and very easy to keep.
I fed them mostly gastropods.

 

[-Exotic]

Also a question to this thread since were talknig about leeches.
How do you guys feed leeches?

 

[Water spider]

With my predatory leeches I just dropped the freshwater snails there and watched how the leech sucked it out of it shell.