How to Cultivate Grindal Worms

Author: Barrie McKoy

For Killies these have to be one of the easiest live foods to feed to growing fry and adults alike.
The worms themselves are a size that is halfway in-between both White Worms and Micro Worms. They will stay alive in the tanks for up to 48 hours which is great if you’re taking eggs from your fish and are going away for a few days.
I feed Grindals to fry that are about 15 to 20mm long with even those that are only 10mm getting the odd one or two.
I was shown this method by Matt Carter and have changed only the food I feed them to Luncheon Sausage.

Firstly you need a container to hold the worms; this should have a lid but needs to allow air in, in other words, holes drilled in the top. I’ve used a “click it” container.

This is placed in another container. In this case I’ve used an ice cream container to help keep the culture darker. When the Ice Cream lid goes on, I leave one corner open slightly to allow air in and out.

I use soil/peat from a small garden in the front of my garage. It has been built up over the last 30 years with top soil and peat from pot plants as well as a few grass clippings.

I fill the click it container about half full with this medium and dampen slightly so that the worms don’t simply dry out.

I add a starter culture of as many worms as I can realistically find without destroying my original culture and place a small amount of lunchon sausage on the top.

Just enough for them to eat over a two day period. I change this with fresh luncheon every two days and wait until the worms are multiplying quickly.

They will be clearly seen on the glass.

And can be washed into your tanks to be eagerly consumed by your fish.
It’s enough to make you feel hungry isn’t it?

Barrie McKoy with special thanks to Matt Carter.
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