How do you culture grindal worms? What are grindal worms? What is meant by culturing grindal worms? We know that you probably have a lot of questions (which we like) and like always we are here to provide you with all of the answers. Consider this your how-to guide for all things grindal worms.
What are grindal worms?
If you have to google this question, here is what will pop up: Grindal worms, or Enchytraeus buchholzi, are enchytraeid oligochaete worms which are found in temperate meadows and disturbed roadside verges. What is that in simple words? They are small, white worms that are not caused by parasites and are relatives to earthworms. They are naturally found in soil.
What are they for?
Grindal worms are an extremely beneficial food source for fish and are often used to condition tropical fish before spawning.
Now that you know what they are and what they are used for, let’s dive into how to culture them and what is needed.
Supplies
In order to culture grindal worms, there are a few things that you are going to need. This includes: a container with a tight-fitting lid, a piece of aquarium filter padding, ground coconut fiber , peat moss or potting soil, plastic or glass that can fit inside the container, dechlorinated water, dry kitte, koi or dog food and most importantly, a starter culture. You need to make sure that you have enough soil to fill the container for about 3cm. You need to make sure that you also soak it in water before you use it because normally when purchasing it, it will come in a solid brick. When using the dechlorinated water, it may also be useful to put it in a spray bottle.
Setting up
You need to make sure that you have all your supplies ready so that when setting up, you can do it correctly. You need to first make sure that there is ventilation in your container. We recommend making at least 3 or 4 small holes in the lid. Then you’re going to take the pieces of aquarium filter padding and put those into the holes that you have created. Next, you’re going to add the ground coconut fiber, peat moss or potting soil into the container and making sure that it is at least 3cm deep. Ensure that it is moist and not too loose. Then, add your start culture and the dry kitten, koi or dog food to your chosen soil and spray it with the dechlorinated water. Then add the plastic or glass cover and once done seal it with the container lid.
Caring for it Monitoring how much the worms are eating is important. Make sure that you are putting food in every 24 hours, but if they are not eating it all in that time then feed them less, but if they are eating the food quickly then feed them a bit more. Once you have put new food in the container, be sure to spray it with the dechlorinated water. The coconut fiber also needs to be changed every so often.
Feeding your fish
Take out the plastic or glass that you used to cover the ground coconut fiber and grindal worms and use a cotton swab to scrape the worms off into a small container filled with water. Allow them to sink to the bottom of the container and then pour out the water slowly without letting them escape. Once majority of the water and excess soil is out, you can then feed the worms to your fish.
New grindal worms reproduce in about 20-28 days, but that is highly dependent on the temperature as that plays an important role. The recommended temperature to culture grindal worms is between 21℃ and 24℃. It’s always a good idea to have at least two cultures running at the same time in case one does not work out like it should. It is also important to note that if there are mites or flies in your culture, it is a sign that your culture may either be too wet or overfed. Ensure that there are no gaps in the ventilation holes.
It may sound scary at first, but we can assure that it is a simple process that your fish will definitely benefit from. If you’re not sure exactly where to get your supplies from, Exclusive Betta has you covered.
