beginner grindal worm culture.

[DAFISHBOU]

I am beginning to start my journey for culturing live food for fish(mainly grindal worms). I have 2 questions 1) can grindal worms live with springtails? and 2) what is the best media for grindal worms that isn't messy like dirt? also, what is the best and easiest way(s) to harvest grindal worms?

 

[fish48]

grindal worm and springtails can live together and often do, the way I keep and culture grindal worm and have done for more than 25 years I keep them in multi-purpose compost or better still Irish Moss peat when it is available it's quite hard to get these days I only feed feed the worms on ready Brek , many foods can be fed such as porridge ,fish food, dog or cat biscuits

 

[Back in the fold]

I have successfully kept four Grindal worm cultures going for over two years now. My cultures are mite free and still smell good . My medium is coconut coir and vermiculite mixed 60% coir and 40% vermiculite. I have them in plastic containers with lids about 12" X 9" X 1 " deep. The medium is very lightly moist. You should not be able to squeeze water from it. I feed small squares about 1/2 inch square of whole wheat bread soaked in water. Just lay it on top under your cover plate and the worms will congregate there. The cover plate is made from a plastic cutting mat from the Dollar $tore.

 

[DAFISHBOU]

60% coir and 40% vermiculite

I can't find vermiculite near me, what can I substitute it with?

 

[GaryE]

There are so many ways of doing this. A local guy uses slabs of constantly wet sponge, and gets great results. I use potting soil and peat mixed. It has vermiculite in it.

 

[Back in the fold]

I can't find vermiculite near me, what can I substitute it with?

Perlite is the same only different than vermiculite. It should work too. All you are doing is lightening the soil so it isn't so compact.

 

[Alice B]

very interesting. I have vermiculite. I don't keep bread around, but I do have flour tortillas I could feed them. Where do you get the starting worms?

 

[GaryE]

The best place for a starter is that dying institution, the aquarium club. You could search online as long as they wouldn't freeze in the mail.

I feed kitten food. I've raised worms for many many (too many) years, and that is the food that has worked best for me. I've tried so many types.

 

[Back in the fold]

I got my starter culture from a fellow American Killifish Association member. One of the perks of membership. If you want to do some of the side things in the hobby like culture and feed live foods, acquire hard to find fish and learn obscure information then you have to network. The best start is by joining a club or organization.

 

[Alice B]

Dallas Fort Worth has an Aquarium association, but I haven't joined yet. Going to meetings is not something I can do right now. I need the foundation done before I can move forward with any more fish stuff. And the sempervivum project is presently keeping me a bit busy. Such is life, never boring