Black Worms, Tubifex, Whatever

Derek,
I'd LOVE to try some of those dero worms. Sounds like they'd be good for younger pygmy sunfish that have a hard time with the large blackworms (ride'em cowboy!). How on earth would one ship these? I imagine an ice pack is necessary?

I found an interesting discussion about these worms here:
http://fins.actwin.c...7/msg00499.html

Derek,
I'd LOVE to try some of those dero worms. Sounds like they'd be good for younger pygmy sunfish that have a hard time with the large blackworms (ride'em cowboy!). How on earth would one ship these? I imagine an ice pack is necessary?

I found an interesting discussion about these worms here:
http://fins.actwin.c...7/msg00499.html

I imagine breather bags would probably work. Or I may pour a bit of my culture into a small closed container and see how long it lasts. If it lasts a few days it could probably be shipped in a 20oz soda bottle.

I imagine breather bags would probably work. Or I may pour a bit of my culture into a small closed container and see how long it lasts. If it lasts a few days it could probably be shipped in a 20oz soda bottle.

How did you get your starter?

I just bought this
http://www.aquabid.c...foodl1209062998
I will let you all know how it turns out. It sounds interesting though.

I just bought this
http://www.aquabid.c...foodl1209062998
I will let you all know how it turns out. It sounds interesting though.

Sounds fun, but get your own thread. They're handing them out free these days.

I guarantee this guy got this culture started by accident. I've had the exact same in my red wiggler boxes sometimes. If you have the space, personally I'd culture separately -- that gives you more control over how much you need of each of each type. Let us know how it works out, though. I wouldn't be at all surprised if you get fungus gnats in the mix, too. They have white larvae that look kind of like whiteworms, but are clearly fly larvae on closer inspection.

I guarantee this guy got this culture started by accident.

You know, I had seen his ad a couple weeks ago and thought the same thing. Also, it is my understanding that mites are a pest in the culture, no? Perhaps not harming the worms, but certainly not the intended critter? I think I read this somewhere and now can't remember.

But hey, if it works for the guy, that's the important part.

hehe
I will start a new thread when it gets here.
You can have your thread back now.

Sounds fun, but get your own thread. They're handing them out free these days.

Hey hang on a second. You aren't the original poster either! I guess it takes a thread highjacker to know one!!

Hey hang on a second. You aren't the original poster either! I guess it takes a thread highjacker to know one!!

Yeah, but I kept on the original topic -- and told you how to raise these blackworm beasties.

Yeah, but I kept on the original topic -- and told you how to raise these blackworm beasties.

Good point. and I appreciate that and intend to give your method a try soon. I received the multi culture and will post a review soon.

Just thought I'd bring this one up.

Most hobbyists view blackworms in the substrate as bad...they are afraid they will die and screw up the water quality. I've seen them in tanks I haven't fed things to in months.

That is cool they like the dogfood. Have you tried more traditional fishfood or chopped earthworm pieces? I havethis stuff called Lee's blackworm keeper(experimental product...no idea if it is on the market yet). It has the usual Marc Weiss scientific babble surrounding it but I think it is mainly food for the blackworms and something that breaks down their waste.

Edited by critterguy, 09 June 2008 - 12:50 AM.

I havethis stuff called Lee's blackworm keeper(experimental product...no idea if it is on the market yet).

I was wondering what they did with all that dog food that got recalled...

Have you tried more traditional fishfood or chopped earthworm pieces?

I have some veggie flakes that none of my fish will eat that I've tossed in my blackworm tank and they eat it.

I was wondering what they did with all that dog food that got recalled...

Haha...yes looking at a bag of brownish powder does make me nervous!

Just wanted to know if anyone else has tried this set up and give you a report on my own. After reading this post I was very eager to try this. I've heard that black worms bring fish into breeding condition very quickly. Well about 3 weeks ago I decided it was time to set something up to try this. I had an old 15gl plastic bin that was my refugium when I had a saltwater tank. I put about 2 in. of pool sand in the bottom and made a filter out of a salsa jar, some lava rocks, and filter floss. I fill it with water from a few of the tanks that are above the bin on the rack in my fish room. I have the bin on the floor and just slide it when I want to feed. The next day I order 1/4 lbs of worms from my buddy that owns a shop. They came in the next day and I was amazed at how many worms are in a 1/4 lbs. So I got home and rinsed the worms in a tank that had no fish in it. Next I feed all my tanks with a good feeding of worms and put the rests, more than 3/4 of what I bought into the bin. They all disappeared into the sand almost instantly. Their next day when I looked there was tons of them with their heads sticking out of the sand waving away. I feed them some old spiralina flakes I had and they crawled out and started swarming the food. Well it's been 3 weeks and they are still going strong. To harvest I take a chopstick and swirl the sand and get the worms floating about then I scoop them out with a net. I feed them spiralina every day or so and have done one water change on them after I had a heavy feeding hand. They seem to be reproducing as I find small worms floating with the bigger ones. My fish love them and my cories have really started cranking out eggs. I have a female C. paliatus that looks like a bulldozer after I feed the worms. She plows her face into the sand up to her eyes and swims around looking for worms. I would like to thank Jase for sharing this knowledge and encourage other to give it a try. I'm thinking it's easier and less expensive than frozen. Just my 2 cents.


Herschel

Any guess on how densely populated you could safely get these guys? I've got a half dozen tanks sitting around gathering dust. Maybe I'll toss some sand in one and get a group going. I should have everything except for the worms at this point.

Have you guys had any issues with finding leeches in the cultures? My LFS(that burned down a couple weeks ago ) always kept these, but they had to be rinsed and the leeches picked out every day or two. I'm sure the fish would just eat the leeches as well, but they are still kind of gross looking none the less.

Going back to a question from way back, about how to get blackworms to switch to sexual reproduction:

Many organisms capable of asexual reproduction will only revert to sexual reproduction if environmental conditions change. Sexual reproduction is the way they mix up the gene pool and attempt to create some individuals that will be adapted to the new conditions. Daphnia, for example, engage in sexual reproduction near the end of the summer, producing resting eggs that overwinter and then hatch in the spring.

Perhaps the switch to sexual reproduction is triggered in a similar way in blackworms.

Travis

Livin' by the levee in the Crescent City

Any guess on how densely populated you could safely get these guys? I've got a half dozen tanks sitting around gathering dust. Maybe I'll toss some sand in one and get a group going. I should have everything except for the worms at this point.

Have you guys had any issues with finding leeches in the cultures? My LFS(that burned down a couple weeks ago ) always kept these, but they had to be rinsed and the leeches picked out every day or two. I'm sure the fish would just eat the leeches as well, but they are still kind of gross looking none the less.

I started out with a half a pound in a ten. My first culture crashed for some reason (possibly because the filter I was using wasn't cycled?) but what I have going now has been stable for a couple of months. I'm still feeding them the algae food that no one else will eat. I do have leeches and I try to pick them out when I can and feed them to fish. Actually, they have a really interesting defense where they contract and flatten into a hard disc that small fish have a hard time swallowing. Combine that with a very tight grip on glass and small fish generally really have to work for them.

At the same time that Herschel started his blackworm culture, I did too. I ordered 1/2 lb. Thouroughly rinsed them over the course of two days with very cold well water. They weren't in the best shape when I got them. Anywho, I split them into two 15 gals. One with ~2in of play sand, the other with brown paper bag strips. I have been feeding boiled potato, sweet potato, and carrot chunks. Sweet potato disappears the fastest. The brown paper bag culture appears to be much more healthy, although water changes are required more frequently. The worms are also eating the paper bags as they are currently riddled with holes. I use water from a fishtank that has just recieved a water change in order to save water (I have to warm water warm up from 45d so staging is an issue). I am going to experiment with squares of burlap, as this will likely be a bit cleaner than the brown paper bags. I have not harvested these yet. The new live foods book by Hellweg recommends harvesting the brown paper culture with a fish net --> put medium contianing worms in a net in a container of clean water. the worms will climb through the net. Rinse and serve.

Happy culturing.

Jase, how is this project going? Is it still set up, and do you have any more information to share? I've just set up a small (5.5 gal) tank for this purpose, and I'm wondering how much waste control is required, as well as what kind of population density is sustainable.

I was going to use a hang-on-back filter with the water level in the tank raised up above the return flow to minimize turbulence, and I was thinking a drinking glass placed around the intake so that the suction is very high in the water might be enough to prevent worms being sucked into the filter. Any thoughts on that?