Fw: Blackworm Keeping

["Patrick J. Coleman" <patrickjcolemanis at attbi_com>]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: Roger Hawthorne 
To: Patrick J. Coleman 
Sent: Monday, April 01, 2002 10:45 PM
Subject: Fw: Blackworm Keeping


I tried to send this. It came back. I hsate computers. They probably won't use it. It is too long. If shortened, it'd be too brief.
Roger

  ----- Original Message -----
  From: Roger Hawthorne
  Sent: Monday, April 01, 2002 10:41 PM
  To: killetalk at aka_org.
  Subject: Blackworm Keeping

  I stared Blackwomrs in 1957 when some came in the roots of Valisneria from Lucious Parish in San Marcos, Texas. They became crossed with some from Macon Springs Trout Harchery above Red Bluff, California. Trout use little of their food and worms often collect in settlement ponds. Many 'Wormers' feed supplemental feed such as manure. Some use Pig Fat and Race Horse feeds. I cannot produce enough and often oversell or simply screw up. My well is 56f. That is 24f below 80, amd the same 24f above freezing. So it has as much heating capacity, as cooling. I use a complicated mixture of yeast with some fishfood that sinks, yet jells or sticks together. I use the same bacteria one would use to make yogurt or for lactose digestive problems. I use it it 'calf starter'. Feed stores carry that. I feel that promotes their ability to injest feed through the water. I use Blackworms to keep fry tanks clean. They collect egg shells and brine shrimp fry leftovers. I have not indentified their bothering fish fry. But they sure clean up the water well. My well water is on all the time. A pump going off and on kills the motor. These are a dividing worm. Not an egglayer like tubifex. The Blooedworm is the maggott of the 'Mide Fly'. Normally founf amongst human feces. When freeze-dried any of that bacteria, good and bad, can come back to life so to speak in ones nose instantly. Blackworms are clean if kept that way. If a wife allows yogurt or creamcheese in the fridge, why not Blackworms? I do not really like the wormkeepers. Good grief, a common styrofoam shipping box with lid works excellent. Vigorously agutate worms whilst changing water daily. I do feel chlorine water hurts. They must be turned frequently. Those on the bottom will die if left too long. A styro box will keep them cool even at 80f in the summer shade. Two to fours inches water ideal. If croweded in dirty water, just barely cover them. They will breathe air if need be. A pound or two will keep well on a 18x18" box. Why not leave the water on, just a trickle if the w
two-litter pop bottle from the freezer in the box. That keeps the worms cool without the need of another fridge. Space severly limits going into these worms value. Plus I told myself I would not get involved in discusssion groups. I have sold euphasia Superba plankton/krill to the University of Iowa at Ames and Oregon State University Vetrinary Department. These are the larger shrimp=like guys from the South Pole. All I know is this expensive food was broken down to good stuff involving wax esthers and lipids. Simolar stuff was in certain cactus. It is blended and made into sort of a beer. I am not saying what I use there. It did take a very long time. Since I sell a lot of flake fish food I purchase direct from the baker, I have a lot of small particles left over. I don't intentionally sell pieces smaller than a dime. These small parts are fed to the worms. When I raise a live food, I feed it waht I desire the fish to end up with. I do experiment with even canteloupe rind for color and fiber. The worms are reatred in 16ft fiberglass salmon egg tubes. The water overflows the first stainless steel baffle, and goes under the next. They are 1/2 inch apart. Designed to keep fish eggs tumbling, they work great for blackworms. I have less than a dozen of these and only one 'hand driven well' which limits production. I do use a lot of egg yolks which are cheap now. They are a great food if fed great food. They are very easy to keep if healthy when obtained and given minimal proper care. I'll be glad to answer any questions thru 04/05. I depart for Cuba the 6th. And yes, I am diffferent. I love to prove what won't work does. I have to see for myself. I look like an old small Paul Bunyon. I still cut trees and plant even more. I'm best hidden away in my secret lab. Breeding fish is akin to picking an apple. Producing a new fish ( if you have an unusual female) is a cinch. It is a shame George Streisinger of the University of Oregon Institute of Molecular Biology is not still with us. Check out any of the Zfin or Zebrafish
I have them in this link.

  Roger Hawthorne
  Albany Aquarium
  albanyaquarium at msn_com

  I believe I successssfully signed in.
  And thanks for a great site and job


------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  Get more from the Web. FREE MSN Explorer download : http://explorer.msn.com




--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Get more from the Web. FREE MSN Explorer download : http://explorer.msn.com




--- StripMime Report -- processed MIME parts ---
multipart/alternative
  text/html
---
---------------
See http://www.aka.org/AKA/subkillietalk.html to unsubscribe
Join the AKA at http://www.aka.org/AKA/Applic.htm