Leeches are worm-like invertebrates whose diet of blood made them popular tools in the 19th-century practice of bloodletting. They are usually black or brown in color and have a sucker at the front of their body. Today it is more common to farm leeches for fishing bait rather than for medical purposes. You can follow a few easy steps to create your own flourishing leech farm.

Fill a large aquarium or small outdoor pond with pond water or dechlorinated tap water. Creating a natural habitat for your leeches will ensure that they prosper and thrive.

Obtain leeches by gathering them from a nearby pond or lake. Look in shallow, shady water. Leeches are most active in the spring and summer and are easiest to catch during these seasons. Use a net or pry them from whatever object they are attached to using forceps. Leeches are also available to order for medicinal purposes.

Feed your leeches as soon as they arrive. Animal blood like that of a live frog is a suitable diet for a leech. This diet should be sufficient throughout the breeding process.

Breed your leeches. Allow sufficient time for breeding to occur with as little change in air pressure as possible. Leeches are known hermaphrodites. To reproduce, a leech makes a small cocoon which another leech will fertilize.

Ensure that the baby leeches have a readily available food source. Leave live snails or frogs in the tank for the babies to eat.

Clean the pond or tank on a consistent basis. If your pond or tank does not have a filter, change the water frequently to keep the environment clean.