The tubifex ( Tubifex tubifex ) are the small ones towards ends, reddish, which live in colony on the bottom of the ponds, pond S, rivers slow. They constitute very dense colonies, in spots. In moderated zone, they can literally paper certain parts of the funds of polluted rivers where one generally finds them with larvae this Chironome S and a species of leech, which are the only ones to support very low oxygen rates, and an high level of organic pollution.

Description, lifestyle

The tubifex measure up to 1 mm length for approximately 1 mm diameter, their body is pink. The colonies (of the size of a plate) consist of hundreds of invidus relatively little spaced from/to each other. Each one with part of its body plunged in the substrate (vase) where they draw their food (vegetable remains in decomposition) and what allows them to hide completely with the slightest warning (the colony disappearing brutally… to reappear a few minutes later).

These worms can live during months almost without oxygen and resist records of organic pollution where the majority of the other species disappear. In the event of draining of their medium, they are enkystent and been able to survive several weeks, while waiting for that the conditions improve.

They play a pioneer part of dépollueur primary education in the sediments very polluted out of organic matter, but they can also contribute to bioaccumuler of the pollutants and to disperse them (Bioturbation)

Aquariophilie

The tubifex constitute an appreciated alive food of fish of aquarium with however the inherent risk with the parasites which they can convey, with various microbes (sreptocoques, staphilocoques fecal, and toxic (botulinic.) and with the pollutants which they absorbed in the Sédiment S. Their harvest is prohibited by the private individuals in certain countries, they can be sold for the aquariophilie or fishes it, fresh or frozen in specialized store.

A technique for " extraire" tubifex of the vase which contained them, consisted in putting the mud containing the worms in a container, and to cover the sediment with a fine clean layer of sand, before slightly heating the whole by the lower part. The tubifex fleeing heat gathered a " then; pelotte" surviving easy to recover.

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