[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index]
Worms
Hi,
I'm glad the topic of aquatic worms has been brought up. I recently
bought a small container of "Tubifex" worms from a local pet store. But
they fit the exact description of what everyone on the list is calling
black worms (brown in colour, quite long, fairly thick). I don't have
much experience with aquatic worms as of yet so I just took store owners
word for it. I was a little suspicious based on there colour however.
Regardless of what they are, my pumkinseeds go insane for them, so I
have to limit the amount I give them--or they won't even look at any
other livefoods that I offer them!! :)
At the moment I have my "black worms" in an old fridge crisper drawer,
with some gravel (not much), and water of course. I've been gently
aerating the water with an airstone, and feeding the worms some fishfood
and yeast suspension as well as some soggy lettuce leaves, which they
colonate and consume. I make sure never to give too much food matter at
any one time so as not to foul the water. I also have aquatic Isopods
in the container which help to clean up any leftover scraps of food and
detritus. Overall, the worms seem to be doing well--they definitely
seem to prefer occupying the gravel (with their tails sticking out) than
under any of the other debris on the bottom
so I think I'll add a little more to the bottom (maybe sand instead).
I've seen several of the worms splitting asexually so I'm pretty sure
they are reproducing.
Continuing on the topic of worms...I have a twenty gallon critter
culture tank that contains copepods, ostracods, and waterfleas (Daphnia
and Simocephalus). Recently I noticed some small red worms colonating
the glass and bottom. Now the entire bottom mulm is crawling with them.
They are about 1/2 inch at most, red, very thin, and swim with a
spiralling motion. I have discovered that they make a great food,
although i think that due to their size they would be better for a
smaller fish such as a killy rather than pumkinseeds. To harvest these
guys, I just shoot a jet of water into the bottom mulm, then wait a few
minutes for the airstone to circulate and settle some of the debris. At
this point literally hundreds of these little worms are swimming in the
water column, ready to be harvested (I've found that a long, very thin
object works best---grabbing them one at a time that is).
Has anyone encountered these worms before? I'm pretty sure they are too
small to be tubifex.
Well, there's my 2 cents worth. Sorry if I rambled too long.
Bentley Christie
______________________________________________________
Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com