Microworms

[Guest]

Hi guys,

I was just wondering what in your opinion is the best media for microworms that also doesn't smell to bad.

[Adrienne]

I use rolled oats, yeast, marmite/vegemite and sugar.

[Barrie]

The nature of the micros means that they will always have perfume of there own

Best to grow them in your sock draw to hide the smell

I grow mine in weatbix and use the late Alan Wakelins recipe

[Guest]

O.K I think I might try making adoge's media. What else are people feeding their microworms.

[penguinleo]

I just use rolled oats and they thrive.

[Guest]

Rolled oats and what else or do you mean just rolled oats

[bdspider]

I think Janelle has these... She uses mashed potato & said it smells less than rolled oats.

[Adrienne]

Mine only really smell when the microworms have multiplied so much there is no uneaten? mixture left over. I don't keep them in the house though, they are out the back room with my fish.

[Guest]

I think I might use yeast, rolled oats, water and maybe a bit of sugar. Will this be any good as it's what I've read most people use. What sort of container should I use? Would a clear one or a nonseethrough one be better?

[alanmin4304]

I use a 2 litre icecream container with the sides roughed up with fine sandpaper. Have 4 on the go at different stages.

[ryanjury]

I just use some yeast (tip a little in) and bread wet it all so the bread absorbs it all.. Stick a teaspoon of microworms on there, and they go nuts, started up a few more tonight

[Janelle]

Yes, I culture mine in instant mash potato! It's the powder stuff in which you just add boiling water. I mix up the mash a little on the hard side, wait for it to cool before adding a starter culture, and the worms usually cover the surface and crawl up the sides within a few days. It really smells MUCH less than the rolled oats mixtures, lasts longer (perhaps the preservatives in instant mash help keep it from going bad?) and when the culture starts to slow down all I do is mix up some more and throw it on top and the worms crawl back to the top within a day.

I do add a tiny amount of yeast either in the form of marmite or sprinkled baker's yeast, but I don't think it needs it since the mash will harbour lots of bacteria for them to eat, and it doesn't seem to go mouldy on me. I mixed up one culture with some marmite and left it for almost three months. The worms didn't die and the culture didn't become biohazardous.

I can't recommend it enough. If you ever split a culture I suggest at least trying it out. It's so much easier to maintain than a culture of rolled oats, plus I don't worry as much if I accidentally scoop small bits of mash into my tank water.

[jayci]

Where do you get instant mash from.

[jayci]

were is the best place for the culture? Hot water cupboard or a cool place.

[alanmin4304]

You get instant mashed potatoe from the supermarket. I use porridge---put it through a coffee grinder with a tablespoon of sugar. Cook it in the microwave so it is so thick you have to spread it with a wet spoon, sprinle yeast on top. and add liquid starter (taken off previous culture) and spread it over total media. Worms up the container in 2-3 days and removed with small stiff paint brush from $2 shop. Each culture lasts 4-6 weeks, particularly if you remove the worms each day. Even your adult fish will love them. The media ends up runny and when they no longer climb the container, remove some liquid from the top, store, and re setup.

[Janelle]

Where do you get instant mash from.

You can buy it at the supermarket. I use the Deb brand but anything would do probably. Maggi have a similar product but they flavour theirs. Deb is straight instant mash.

were is the best place for the culture? Hot water cupboard or a cool place.

I keep mine with the rest of my fish food at room temperature beside the tanks in an old, plastic cat food container. I cover it with glad wrap to keep it humid and this also helps them crawl up. If it's warm but not covered they won't climb so readily. Air holes are good too but I don't usually bother because I take the glad wrap off at least once a day.

[Zev]

I use Rolled Oats and a wee pinch of granulated yeast - I think it's Elfin? Same brand as the flour. Just add blood temp water until it is just covered and leave it for a hour, then check to see if I need to add more water if it looks too dry. Then put the worms in.

I don't put sugar in, but if you do, watch how much sugar you put in, I put a tad too much in once and ended up with brewed microworms, the mix bubbled away nicely and man did it pong!

I use those disposable Gladware containers, some have wee holes punched in the lids, others a cutout about the size of a twenty cent piece and a wad of filter wool stuffed in it to keep the stray fruitflys out.

These sit on top of the glass of one of my tanks that has a double flourescent fitting straight on the glass on the top, so during the day it is fairly warm.

How deep do you other guys put your oats/spud mix? I only put about 10mm worth in when it is wet.

[alanmin4304]

10 - 15mm deep.

[Adrienne]

I just use a double mix very similar to the way alanmin makes his up and put it in a chinese takeaways container (we have heaps - a very good chinese takeaway just up the road :oops: )

[Dixon1990]

DOes anyone know where i can get some microworms in CHCH?

[alanmin4304]

I can give you some to start you off. Have sent you PM.

[Dixon1990]

I havent got the PM :-?

[alanmin4304]

Will try again

[Janelle]

Dixon, I'm literally just around the corner from you.

Wyn Street end of Dalkeith Street.

[Guest]

It sounds like that there are alot of different methods of what you use to culture microworms. Just wanted to ask where should I keep my microworm culture as I don't have a fishroom and will use them everyday so they can't live in the garage and don't want them to stink up my room where the fish are.