Contents

Foods

Live Foods

Grindal Worm

Size: This worm reaches about 1cm (0.4 in.).

Environment: This species survives happily in culture containers with moist potting soil. It prefers warmer temperatures than its close relative the white worm.

Uses: This live food species is an excellent live food for most tropical fish. It is an excellent conditioning food for breeders.

1)  Place about 5cm (2 inches) of moist, but not too wet (the soil is properly moist if holds together when and only a few drops of water are expressed), potting soil (no additives!) in a plastic storage container with a loosely fitting lid (if the lid fits tightly, then punch a few dozen holes in it).
2)  Mix in a little agricultural lime (found at nurseries). About 1 teaspoon per square foot of soil surface.
3)  Place a starter culture of worms in one corner of the container.
4)  Maintain the temperature between 20-25°C (68-77°F) and make sure the soil does not get too dry. The soil should always be damp. The author prefers enough water present in the soil to cause condensation on the sides and tops of the plastic culture box.
5)  Initially, feed only a small amount of oatmeal in the corner where the worms were place. Then feed every other day as much as the worms will eat.
6)  Within 2 months there should be enough worms to harvest. Harvest by picking the worms up by hand when they cluster on the food. Healthy cultures can be harvested heavily, as much as half the worms every other day.
7)  Multiple cultures should be maintained in case some competing organisms (mites, white flies, etc.) become common enough to affect production and to avoid the complete loss of your cultures due to overheating, drying out, over-harvesting or other disaster.

Page last modified December 24, 2007.
Copyright © 2007, Goliad Farms, LP