Micro worms. Temp reqd?

[ClownLurch]

Just ordered a starter culture. What sort of temp do they need to propagate? Will they be ok in a southern England shed at this time of year? MrsLurch isn’t keen on em indoors!

Cant find relevant info anywhere. Probably becos it’s another “beginner question” that experienced fish keepers take for granted!

 

[fish48]

the best temperature for micro worm at about 70F upwards the warmer you keep them the faster they will multiply

 

[mbsqw1d]

Just room temp really.. they only stink when you take the lid off

 

[fish48]

this culture stinks it's 2 months old I need to start up new cultures, what many people don't know is if you mix ready Brek with milk it don't stink so much

 

[mbsqw1d]

Never done banana worms, are they same setup as micro? And are they bigger?

 

[fish48]

banana worm are smaller, set up in the same way and add a small amount of banana water worms are supposed to be smaller than banana worms, however there is a possibility that water worms are the same as banana worms, the smallest of the nematodes to feed to the fish are vinegar eels in some ways it can be better they don't go straight to the bottom they swim mid water to the top surface making it a lot easier for the tiny fry to find them

 

[nik_n]

I'm also starting a micro worm culture. I did some research and Cory from Aquarium Co-op says that if kept in mash potato the culture doesn't stink as bad. I'm going to try it and see if he was right. If you have more cultures you should do the same.

 

[mbsqw1d]

I'm also starting a micro worm culture. I did some research and Cory from Aquarium Co-op says that if kept in mash potato the culture doesn't stink as bad. I'm going to try it and see if he was right. If you have more cultures you should do the same.

Yeh @AbbeysDad uses mashed spud

Culturing Micro worms – MJV Aquatics

mjvaquatics.com

(his blog on the topic)

 

[fish48]

yes that would be a far better way to culture them if you don't like to stink got my first micro worms from a friend over 30 years ago the first day I smelled it turned my guts over I have kept it every day ever since day in and day out , you do get used to the smell after a while the biggest problem I had was her indoors when they kept in the house

 

[Colin_T]

They live in the same temperatures that people find comfortable. (18-30C).

Keep them indoors in the kitchen and they will be fine. They don't need much room and if you make new cultures regularly, they don't smell.

 

[mbsqw1d]

yes that would be a far better way to culture them if you don't like to stink got my first micro worms from a friend over 30 years ago the first day I smelled it turned my guts over I have kept it every day ever since day in and day out , you do get used to the smell after a while the biggest problem I had was her indoors when they kept in the house

You've kept the same culture for 30 years? ?

 

[AbbeysDad]

Another GREAT live food culture is white worms. They are very prolific and at about 1" in length, they're great for most fish. (My swordtails frenzy for white worms). They are my #1 pick for live food cultures.
They do prefer cooler temps 55°F-70°F. Some use a wine cooler, but mine do just fine on the floor (under a bench) of my unheated basement.

Culturing White Worms – MJV Aquatics

mjvaquatics.com

 

[ClownLurch]

So I’m assuming a shed in February isn’t gonna work? I’ll start two off. One in shed and hide the other indoors from mrs lurch.

 

[seangee]

Mine live indoors (unknown to mrs gee). I don't have holes in the lids of the plastic containers so no smell to give them away. Of course I do have to remember to remove the lids for a couple of minutes every day.

 

[ClownLurch]

Mine live indoors (unknown to mrs gee). I don't have holes in the lids of the plastic containers so no smell to give them away. Of course I do have to remember to remove the lids for a couple of minutes every day.

Still figuring out where mine are gonna hide.