How do leeches reproduce?

Leech, commonly known as leech, grows and breeds in inland freshwater waters. It is a traditional Chinese special medicinal aquatic animal. Its dried products are used in traditional Chinese medicine after being soaked in traditional Chinese medicine. It has the effects of treating stroke, hypertension, clearing blood stasis, amenorrhea, falling injury and so on. So, how do leeches breed?

First, how do leeches breed?

They reproduce mainly by laying eggs. Although leeches are hermaphroditic, they must undergo allogeneic fertilization before they can reproduce. One month after mating, each of the two leeches produces one cocoon, and each cocoon contains 3 to 8 eggs.

2. Culture techniques of leeches

1. Culture environment

The leech breeding site should be established in an environment with wind shelter and suitable light. Spring and autumn season to meet the needs of leech growth of light, winter can also do a good job of cold prevention. When establishing a breeding farm, it should be built reasonably according to the living habits of water quality to ensure the suitability of water quality, temperature, humidity and light, so as to create a good growth environment for leeches.

2. Bait feeding

Leeches mainly feed on the blood of snails, earthworms and other invertebrates and mammals, natural feed is mainly snails, supplemented by earthworms, insect larvae, etc., artificial feed is the blood of all kinds of animals, blood clotting residues should be removed in time after feeding, so as not to pollute the water.

3. Water quality management

Leeches are easy to survive, and the requirements for the environment and water quality are not strict. The water temperature is kept at 15-30 degrees, and the growth is affected if it is too high or too low. However, the density of artificial culture is high, and the water quality is clean to ensure a certain amount of dissolved oxygen. In addition, the water temperature is high from July to August. Attention should be paid to changing water properly and lowering the water temperature.

4. Overwintering management

After winter, when the temperature drops below 10 degrees, the leeches stop feeding, drill into the soil or hibernate under the leaves, drain and cover the surface of the pool with straw or wood to prevent freezing and keep the soil moist. During the winter with ice, the pool water should be properly deepened to prevent complete freezing.

When a leech bites a person or animal, it will suck the skin with a sucker and drill into the flesh to suck blood. protective measures should be taken in the process of breeding.