Grindal worms required Christchurch

[alanmin4304]

I am after a starter culture of grindal worms can anyone help please?  Mine have been taken over by mites and I cannot get rid of them. Hope to start another clean culture.

[Yellow]

According to what I've read and tried, the whiteworm/grindal worm genus can handle being underwater for quite a long time, as well as live without food. If you try covering the media with water for a couple of days, that should kill off most of the mites. It worked for my whiteworm culture.

P.S. if you have them spare, I'd be keen on some grindals! I can post a self-addressed stamped postage bag along with small amounts of any of the following: blackworms, daphnia carinata, a. barteri var. nana 'petite', peacock (?) moss, twisted val, sunset hygro, riccia, if you don't already have them (I notice the 'Plant Specialist' title).

P.P.S. by any chance have you heard of a. barteri var. nana 'petite' being able to hybridise with any of the other sorts of anubias we have in NZ?

Edited May 31, 2016 by Yellow

[alanmin4304]

Thanks for the advice, I will try that. I would think that any Anubius could hybridise with any other but only by cross pollination of flowers, the same as with the swords. I am down to one small colony of grindals at the moment (out of five) because I gave some away and I found that a good colony will out compete with the mites but when they get run down a bit the mites seem to win. I have very few plants at the moment as they got swallowed up by the shakes and the aftermath. I only have plants in a few terrariums ---no aquariums and the emersed setup is full of other stuff..

[alanmin4304]

Many thanks for the advice. I had previously sprayed the food with water until it was wet but had no success. I flooded the whole container and left it for about 20 minutes then tipped all the excess water off and the next day there were worms all over the glass over the food like there used to be. I am very happy.