Microworm Cultures

[RonWill]

Hi folks,

I'm "upping" this thread for the benefit of Kar Hwee aka 'kadios' and Koh Heng aka 'green plant', who 'missed' the thread (honestly guys, you'll have to come up with a better 'reason' next time! :wink: )

There's a brief coverage on alternative culturing medium in this 'Microworm Thread'.

Instructions for culturing your own, after getting hold of a starter, is at my 'Microworm Culturing' page.

It's simple to follow, but still... if you have any questions, just ask (I'll send you my 'consultant statement' at the end of the month! :wink: )

Have fun and keep those nostrils closed!

[kadios]

Thanks Ronnie for the help and not to mention the freebies!

I started my MW culture but I think I was too greedy and placed them in too large a box and ended up using too much oatflakes!

Hope that I can start contributing to the hobby soon!

Cheers!

Kar Hwee

[RonWill]

Thanks Ronnie for the help and not to mention the freebies!

You're welcomed, Kar Hwee, and welcome to the wonderful world of killies! Travel along this path and I'm confident that you'll find it a very satisfying journey.

I started my MW culture but I think I was too greedy and placed them in too large a box and ended up using too much oatflakes!

That shouldn't be a problem. A bigger box means more air and a more stable culture. The MWs will reproduce fast enough to fill up the space.

It is my wish that you can maintain and distribute the cultures to those in need, as I have given to you.

Hope that I can start contributing to the hobby soon!

I'm sure you can! How about joining us, if and when, we make our next mass-egg order? (Au... don't faint... )

[kadios]

Sure, just keep me informed of the mass eggs order! It is something that I really wish to try, hatching fries from eggs since I have never done it before!

By the way, thanks for the MW culture, my 2 boxes of MW has "matured" and I will be passing some to my dad's friend who was "fascinated" when he saw it. But I really wonder if his Altums will even bother at these little worms, let alone feed on them.

Cheers!

Kar Hwee

[RonWill]

Sure, just keep me informed of the mass eggs order! It is something that I really wish to try, hatching fries from eggs since I have never done it before!

That's the spirit!! Kar Hwee, a little 'gung-hoism' won't kill, but adds to the excitment! If there's ample interest from the newer members, I might just be game to organise one... when weather permitting, of course.

As for Altums and microworms, it'd be a waste of culture and also fouling up the tank water, since larger altums will ignore it. These are more appropriate for fishes up to 1 inch.

For general 'maintenance', just stir up the culture every two days and sprinkle a little yeast on top. In about 2 months' time, re-sub new starters and continue as you are doing now.

Be adventurous, try other media... like milk-soaked bread, Jacob crackers, potato flakes, etc. Never try, never know! :wink:

[kadios]

"Be adventurous, try other media... like milk-soaked bread, Jacob crackers, potato flakes, etc. Never try, never know! "

haha!

I was comtemplating those weightgainers and amino acid powder but stopped short of doing that! I was afraid the fries may turn out to become new casts for "X-men 3" with their "sheer strength and size"!!!

Cheers!

Kar Hwee

[zmzfam]

I'm upping this thread as I do not want to start another topic on microworms.

On another forum, aquaticquotient.com, I've come across a post by a forummer there on how he keeps his microworms.

Basically, the method of culturing is as discussed in this thread. The difference is that he keeps his main culture inside his fridge - in an airtight bottle of course. According to him, the culture can last for 6 months without going moldy.

Whenever he needs microworms, he just starts another culture from the main culture in the fridge.

This basically removes the chance of losing the culture from crashes when one is too busy to notice the worms. Or maggots crawling inside the moldy soup of oats. This does happens whenever there is no necessity to harvest the worms coz no frys to feed!

WARNING : The microworms culture in the fridge tends to look like garlic spread - so labelled it properly Of course you can also report here how MWs tasted like

[RonWill]

...Of course you can also report here how MWs tasted like [/i]

Zul, my motto in life is "Never try, never know" but in this instance, I'm afraid I'll have to pass... yuuuucccccckss!

I'll let you know if the fridge-stored culture does indeed last that long (will you volunteer to help if I have to clean out the whole fridge??)

[nonamethefish]

How long are you guys able to keep a single culture up and running for? I'm currently growing these guys but in warm weather cultures tend to get old pretty fast. Using potatoe flakes on them....which seems to be working better than oatmeal as they do smell a little less and also seem less likely to mold or sour. They still smell terrible once the culture gets overripe though!

Also, how much do the fish like them? So far I haven't found many fry to eat them. Nothos seemed to ignore them. Most other fry would eat them but they would sink to the bottom and out of notice. Flagfish fry gorged on them but seemed to prefer BBS. They are a hit in my Aphyosemion splendopleure tank though with the adults and juveniles.

[keehoe]

Hi all, not only MW can me kept in fridge this way. Others such as tubiflex, blood worm. (Please bear in mind we are talking about veg. compartment.))
You will have to wrap them up to prevent moisture lost.