Blackworm farm?

[satanpie]

Hey, guys I feed my fish live blackworms, I have been considering the idea of creating a farm where I could raise them myself to have my own food source. Someone mentioned a tupperware container, with an airstone and ripped up paperbag as substrate, every now and then some flakes and do water changes now and then. I know they reproduce asexually so i guess stirring with a fork or other tool and breaking them up a little may increase reproduction? what do you guys think? does anyone else raise blackworms?

 

[jaysen]

i think if you are successful i may buy some off of you. but i keep thinking they die quickly like blood worms.

 

[JimL]

:iagree: If you can get it going I'd like to find out how you did it.

 

[Death Pony]

I've had my blackworm culture thriving for 3 months now. It's pretty simple. I keep them in a critter carrier filler with about 1.5 inches of water and an air stone. I have cut up filter sponge inserts that they love crawling in to and some ceramic rings in the water with them. I feed them twice a day with Sera Granule Menu and various Hikari foods.

 

[chucke]

http://aqualandpetsplus.com/Live Food, Blackworms.htm

this place seems to have a lot of information, with me being laid off on Friday i am constantly trying to think of things to make money so I looked into it.

 

[satanpie]

This is awesome, it sounds fairly easy, next time i pick up a cup of worms from my LFS im gonna start my farm

 

[PhaidOut]

Just some thoughts. I did it for a while. There was a university paper PDF I had that was excellent, I can't find it now though. I think it may have been from Iowa. I don't recommend a Tupperware bowl - I think it is too small for any amount.

I kept them in a 3/4 full 10 gallon. Layers and layers of brown roll paper towel on the bottom - 1/2" or so. I used air stones and it worked well. I fed them cheap fish food occasionally, they will eat literally anything. You HAVE to keep them cool though. I found they didn't reproduce fast enough for my taste though. You have to do frequent water changes! Daily? Also, chlorine is particularly harsh on them - your water should be de-chlorinated before being added. I used old fish water a lot of the time.

1.5" of water seems to not nearly be enough to me. They produce too much waste.

If anyone's interested I can give a little history on their use in the hobby...

 

[tanker]

I think raising white-worms will be easier.

 

[satanpie]

Ive never heard of white worms?

 

[tanker]

Ive never heard of white worms?

White worms are non-aquatic. All you need is a plastic box (or 2-3), some clean soil and feed them moist bread. You can buy starter cutures and they work very well.

Very easy to raise but just do not feed too often---too fattening for the fish.


Try this http://petcaretips.net/raising-white-worms.html