Culturing Microworms-Tuesday Tip

Microworms are an excellent food for fry and small fish. Learn how to easily split and maintain a culture.
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[@ZomBeeNature]

I had microworms... once... The smell is awful... and having a worm-infested container of rotting gunk sitting around was too much for me... 😝

[@TheMrcooldjbigones]

you can reduce the smell by culturing powdered mashed potatoes Rachel! :D

[@Wiliamstuff]

I like yeasty smell, reminds me grandmas sower dow

[@ElectricBoogaloo007]

I must be weird, because I really don't think microworms smell bad. They just have a little yeasty, fermented smell to them.

[@danielmcsween884]

:>.... I`m one of the peeps who requested this. Thanks alot.

[@Jaywil07]

awesome!

[@danielmcsween884]

"Smells like rotten... death" lol It`s sad that I can relate

[@rolandrees6965]

Yeah using your finger is gross. The smell on your hands won't go away. That means washing your hands like 15 times, ( I multipled that by 5 ).

[@ArunVanka]

Hey, is just the bread enough as the bottom layer ?? didn't get what the second layer was added, is it meat ?

[@UnheatednoProblem]

i tried this with instant mash potatoes and it doesnt smell anywhere near as bad

[@cleanwater_happyfish]

Make video at the quieter place, this video gave me headache

[@karenjgray5577]

I found a way to make sure fruit flies cannot get inside a culture. They make a real mess of it if they do. I use either the tip of a pin to make air holes or use a very slim bladed knife to make a single long slash in the lid. Both let in air but are too narrow to allow fruit flies entry. The long slash is better I think, fewer worms make it to the outside air to dry out on the lid. Yep, they can get pretty stinky if neglected. But they don't smell anywhere nearly as bad as a crashed black worm culture, which smells like an open sewer. Ask me how I know :-). Btw, I find they crawl up the sides within a day or two of starting a new culture. It's said their media becomes unpleasant for them but since they crawl up even when it's fresh, I think there must be another reason why they do this. An experiment I'd love to work on one day, just to see if I can figure out why they do crawl up the container sides rather than stay in the media.

[@pungr]

I am retired and just getting into tropical fish and your videos are absolutely the best, so informative. Thanks so much!

[@pauledwards5607]

get a microphone

[@RuachEden]

A little activated carbon also reduces the odour

[@pigeonslover2155]

uwojsjduekdoinzhyfyrjsofeejdkeepiec🏪🗻🏨🏯🏫💈

[@GUYANAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA]

Nice...I like to use the large 16oz deli container with about 1"of mashed potatoes on the bottom and cover those holes you poke with some filter floss incase of intruders into the cultures I like to keep a couple cultures going as well I usually just wet my fingers and swipe along the sides and get a cloud of worms

[@petcraz2417]

Thank you. Is it easygoing keep these cultures going? And to have multiple?

[@aniram95665]

If activated yeast helps the culture, what about a wild levain (aka sourdough starter)? I may have to experiment with that.

[@anthonytoic861]

I made an extra culture once, and dusted it it with spirulina powder. They didn't like it, but they tolerated it, and took on a slightly green tint. Have you tried this?

[@khonthainaidc]

Thank you, love your channel. Awesome as always.

[@catnip3111]

do I put the yeast when I put the water in the soil together and then wait 3 days to culture them?

[@techpirate3234]

is it safe to touch microworm with finger??

[@pecktec]

That's cool. So do you mail order a starter culture?

[@RachelOLeary]

you can, but it's aromatic haha. I have gotten them in through the mail with a spoonful of culture spread on saran wrap then in multiple baggies. I do prefer to buy them at shows or clubs more

[@NYCityCichlids]

EWww. Ha ha. That's good food.

[@KevinsCaninesAndAquatics]

How do you reculture the Microworms?

[@fazlurrahmansufi341]

Can anyone give me a better insight on how to keep these starter culture kits please? They came in plastic air tight bags, I have seen many videos that say room temperature is ok, what should that be, also should they have air flow? Etc. Thank you

[@RachelOLeary]

I put pin holes in the lid for air flow. Ambient temp is fine, they will reproduce faster in warmer temps and need more frequent attention

[@Fridskan]

Kan you start a culture without an ongoing culture. If you cant get hold of an ongoing?

[@fishgirlforlife937]

Fridskans there is a buried potato trick you can look up :)

[@housearea]

I started it with some dirt from outside and wet bread, I put the bread in box like this and drop some dirt on top then i press it with glass.

[@housearea]

Rachel O'leary oh, sorry my bad!

[@lucasteddywilbanks]

where is a good place online to get some to start a culture?

[@RachelOLeary]

+Lucas Teddy I buy from a guy named Frank Cowherd, who is in my "local" club. He has a website, but I am not sure if he ships all year. aquaticlifefarm.com/

[@emmitstewart1921]

+Lucas Teddy Before you go online, ask around at your local aquarium club. Usually you can find someone local who has an ongoing culture that he or she will share with you. I only takes a spoonful to get started. Most people who keep them usually have several cultures going, because a single culture only lasts about a month before it goes bad, and most prefer to toss it out the moment it goes bad, if not the day before. The stink Rachel talked about is caused by anaerobic bacteria invading the culture. The odor is hydrogen sulphide, which is the same substance that gives a backed up cesspool its distinctive fragrance. You can also get starter cultures on EBay. Search for "Microworms" under the category; "pet supplies". Once you get started, take part of the culture out about every 15 days and start a new batch. Use a disposable container, and if you see that the old culture medium has turned black, throw it out immediately without opening it. You really don't want to smell what's inside.

[@RachelOLeary]

I second the aquarium club tip if you have one close. I am not a big fan of ebay, for really anything. Cultures can be tricky to have shipped, and I really don't know of a great online source as I have always gotten them at club from the guy I mentioned.

[@lucasteddywilbanks]

+Rachel O'leary ; +Emmit Stewart I'll check my local fish stores to see what they have for cultures but out here in Las Vegas there isn't a lot going for freshwater.

[@emmitstewart1921]

Lucas Teddy I haven't had much luck finding live food cultures in pet or aquarium stores here either. Stores deal in adult fish which are to large for microworms, and this is something they might sell only once or twice a year. You have to get in touch with breeders, who keep a culture constantly going for their own use..