Reply With Quote
I thought must have some water flow
Ok, I admitted that i am really "boh liao"I am running this experiment on tubifex,
- Trying to "grow" or sustain them in a 20cm X 20cm plastic container, using garden soil
1. I got this plastic container from local value store , 20cm by 20cm and about 30 cents of tubifex worms from wet market, fresh delivered that day
1a. The garden soil is those normal soil you see everywhere, washed it carefully. Let the cloudy mud settled down.
2. The worms are pretty clean, so i just washed it once with my aged tank water
3. Put one small scoop of milk powder into the worms ( cleanse their stomach, i heard)
4. Let them sit for another half an hour
5. Dump them into the container , with 3cm of garden soil substrate
Day 1
I thought must have some water flow
Well, that's also part of the experiment, see whether in this environment, the tubifex can be sustained.
Labyrinth fish - Anabantoides
I am not so interested in tubifex culturing because it's not sustainable, at least from my point of view. I would be glad if mine could survive for at least a week but it would still be interesting to note the progress of your experiment nonetheless. I have to agree there should be some water flow or your culture would crash sooner or later.
On a side note, there are deliveries of tubifex worms on a weekly interval to your house and you have to pay a monthly fee for that. That is, if you have lots of mouths to feed.
Currently keeping large predatory fish 🐟
I guess, the main objective isn't too focus on culturing the worms, but like "cleansing" or "sustaining" the worms for a longer period (without foul smell). If they manage to multiply, that's extra bonus.
Last edited by mobile2007; 24th Apr 2012 at 20:10.
actually think the main challenge of culturing tubiflex worms is
a) keeping them alive
b) ensuring that your fishes do not get infected with disease after consuption
i also on am experimental path at moment. thinking of treating my worms in a live food tank prior to releasing them for consupmption
there are quite a few threads on tubiflex worms and i understand that there are bros who kept them alive for more than a month
I guess it will be hard to harvest the worms as you will need to separate the soil and the tubifex worms.
Coincidentally, I am also intending to try my hand at keeping them alive:
Gonna use a small tank, dechlorinated water, airstone on top of basic, gentle filtration. Gonna keep the water chilled & throw some Ketapang leaves (hope the acidity caused by the leaves can reduce the nasty bacteria multiplication) inside. & feed the worms some quality fish food for them to purge out whatever crap they came from the LFS with. Let's see if I can maintain a colon.
I see. This is something many are really interested in. There is value in this as many used tubifex to feed their fishes, good growth and cheap.
My question, will "growing" tubifex this way clear the parasites /diseases in them ? I mean, some parasites will remain dormant or they will keep infect the new worms in the same colony....
Garden/potting soil should not be used. If you want a cleaner substrate for them to hang out in, the use of a filter sponge pad weighed down with rocks is a better idea. To harvest the worms from a container with a soil based mix is very difficult, not to mention dirtier than usual. With the sponge pad, the worms will gather in clumps among the pores of the sponge. These tubifex worms live longer in slightly acidic conditions it seems. You can keep them alive in a tank with the pad and some slight aeration. I keep some Moina with mine. It helps if the sides of the container has good algae growth.
Most potting soils are a mix of coco peat and some other stuff I think, and may contain amounts of fertiliser and/or clay pieces in them. Unless you know for sure the soil is aquarium safe, don't use them.
Fish.. Simply Irresistable
Back to Killies... slowly.
Well, stormhawk, you are quite right about the garden soil. So , for those who wanted to try better ask the shop carefully. As the worms usually formed one big lump, using the pincer easily can picked up good amount of worms.
Day 2
So far, the water did smell a bit when i opened the container. The worms looks not so active (weak), but no sign of worms dying or rottening. But i added more water to the container, just in case.
It's fairly easy to get them going if you have an old established container running. I fed my worms in the ex-green water tub with a carnivore pellet last night and it's gone. Now the worms are bright red and wriggling furiously.
Fish.. Simply Irresistable
Back to Killies... slowly.
@stormhawk, are you also sustaining a Tubifex worm colony? What's your approach, if I may ask?Originally Posted by stormhawk
Day 3 : Quite a portion of the worms seems to die and "melt" away...leaving slightly half of the original.
Did the smell become foul?
Learning the hardway, not the highway.
Photo Blog - impervious-endeavors.blogspot.com
Semi-Active currently
"if he cant be bothered to take the time to write his question properly, why should I take the time to answer him."
yes, but not very strong compared to the usual.
Hmm, maybe i should incorporated a small pump to aerate the water ???
@stormhawk, are you on the filter pad substrate or just bare bottom ??
Baton courtesy.....service with a smile!
Mobile2007, did you incorporate a water change regime for your culture?
If you've learnt, teach, if you have, give.
Don't walk behind me as I might not lead, don't walk in front of me as I might not follow. Walk beside me, as my friend.
Mohamad Rohaizal is my name. If it's too hard, use BFG. I don't mind.
For those who are curious, the topic is here:
http://www.aquaticquotient.com/forum...535#post670535
This is a test colony I seeded last weekend. Been 5 days since seeding and still healthy. I might start on a new one later on.
Fish.. Simply Irresistable
Back to Killies... slowly.
Yes, every morning i will change the whole lot of water with aged tank water.
Posting Permissions
Bookmarks