I need the space for a new rack and tanks for the guppies. I can fit a 7' X 2' rack behind the sofa in the fish room. These will be my last "more tanks". I'm ashamed of myself as it is. I've said for years that I don't need more tanks. Shows what I know about my own self ::)
A new member here is pushing me to build my own tanks out of plywood. You know who you are, John. I don't think I'll do it. I have a 30 and a 20 long that will do for now. Tanks sometimes fall in my lap as gifts from customers.
Oh, BTW, all three of my guppy trios have children already and I know that more will come soon enough. The horny things seem always to be pregnant.
As much as making a wood tank might be fun, with the cheap cost of tanks now..it's not worth the energy....
Alho Ed's 8 foot trough tank was kinda neat.... |^|
...reminds me, I need to call that hermit again.....yeppers...
If I do it at all which I doubt because I've turned into a sissy girl when it comes to tackling a project that I've never tried before. I will build a 120. My 75 sits in a place that is wide enough for a 120. I could give my 75 to the guppies and divide it in half with a piece of poret foam to keep the males away from the females.
Ha the males would find a way to the other side with the girls. They would probably jump over the barrier.
Hey, Liz, when your worm cultures get there tomorrow don't dump them on the garden.
They may be a little shaken from the soft handling the Post Office gives my packages. It may take a few hours for them to settle. Wait, never mind. I put this side up on the box. That should work. LOL
Quote from: Rjb3 on September 07, 2015, 07:52:11 PM
Hey, Liz, when your worm cultures get there tomorrow don't dump them on the garden.
They may be a little shaken from the soft handling the Post Office gives my packages. It may take a few hours for them to settle. Wait, never mind. I put this side up on the box. That should work. LOL
LOL......did you include directions for her on the MW's..??....and mention don't feed the 'pudding'..... ;D....we gave a culture to a gal and instead of just wiping the sides of the container....she was dipping in the 'pudding'.....makes a very messy tank quickly...but we got her squared away.... |^|
I did my research. I know how to do them. Need to buy some instant mashed potatoes.
Quote from: LizStreithorst on September 07, 2015, 08:04:26 PM
I did my research. I know how to do them. Need to buy some instant mashed potatoes.
+1.....Gerber baby oatmeal works well too... |^|
Very important detail. Liz, wipe the worms off the side of the container. Then, dip your finger in the tank you're feeding.
BTW, I included a couple empty containers with my world famous worm growing media to help you get new cultures going. The enclosed 2 oz. spray bottle is what I use to add moisture to the new cultures. After you cover the bottom of the new deli container, spray a little water on it. It needs to be well soaked but not runny. Not an exact science. Then put a dab of worms from the active culture in the new one. Poof. You're done. Remember to just cover the bottom. Putting a half inch of growing material in the new culture just wastes it. You'll get the hang of it.
E-mail any questions.
Instant potatoes? I should have sent more of my secret growing media along. It will last several months before it goes bad.
My daughter and I almost made a science experiment out of all the different media recipes we tried. That's how I arrived at my secret formula. Been using it for years. What you grow the worms in has a direct influence on how healthy the worms are and how much nutrition they provide the fish. It's part of my aquarium club food presentation.
I met a guy at an aquarium club meeting in Port Washington a few years ago. He's in charge of research at UW Milwaukee. I put my arm around him and said " So, you have access to a dual mass spectrometer". He said yes, but I think my over enthusiasm scared him off.
Quotedual mass spectrometer
What would you use that for? Checking out the worm's nutrition?
Yup
Its guessing without that.
My concern was if the Omega 3s were in the worms or on the outside of the worms. The Omega fortifying ingredient is added to the worm growing material. I know it coats their bodies. I just wondered if they ingested it. Either way it goes into the fish. Testing control worms versus rinsed and non-rinsed worms would have answered the question. When I used Cod liver oil in the cultures for Omegas it made the worms so slippery they couldn't effectively go up the walls of the container to be harvested in any great numbers. The new stuff doesn't do that. I was also curious about the actual lipid content of the worms. You can calculate that for dry food, but worms are a little harder to figure.
I have other ingredients that stimulate worm growth and size. That can be seen without a microscope. The worm growing material I use is light years ahead of other materials commonly used.
http://www.livefoodcultures.com/microworms_printversion.html
If I went by this research, I would say the lipids are in the worms. Although they already contain 21% lipids, why wouldn't I raise the amount significantly if possible. It almost doubles in this report.
BTW, I have grown them in soil.
A tip for increased worm harvesting: Cover half the surface of the culture with wet paper towel. You will be amazed the worms you collect when you lightly skim a spoon across the towel. Be careful not to press too hard.
Quote from: Rjb3 on September 07, 2015, 10:21:20 PM
My concern was if the Omega 3s were in the worms or on the outside of the worms. The Omega fortifying ingredient is added to the worm growing material. I know it coats their bodies. I just wondered if they ingested it. Either way it goes into the fish. Testing control worms versus rinsed and non-rinsed worms would have answered the question. When I used Cod liver oil in the cultures for Omegas it made the worms so slippery they couldn't effectively go up the walls of the container to be harvested in any great numbers. The new stuff doesn't do that. I was also curious about the actual lipid content of the worms. You can calculate that for dry food, but worms are a little harder to figure.
I have other ingredients that stimulate worm growth and size. That can be seen without a microscope. The worm growing material I use is light years ahead of other materials commonly used.
http://www.livefoodcultures.com/microworms_printversion.html
If I went by this research, I would say the lipids are in the worms. Although they already contain 21% lipids, why wouldn't I raise the amount significantly if possible. It almost doubles in this report.
BTW, I have grown them in soil.
A tip for increased worm harvesting: Cover half the surface of the culture with wet paper towel. You will be amazed the worms you collect when you lightly skim a spoon across the towel. Be careful not to press too hard.
I'd think that you wouldn't want them growing too big tho...right?.....the beauty of feeding the micro worms is in their smaller size allowing for tiny fry to consume them....growing too big hinders that food option.....
Micro, Walter, and Banana worms are all different in size. Then Grindals and White worms. Endlers will eat White worms without a problem. Larger Micro worms are a good thing. Sounds crazy to have larger Micro worms, huh?
Quote from: Rjb3 on September 08, 2015, 08:11:57 AM
Micro, Walter, and Banana worms are all different in size. Then Grindals and White worms. Endlers will eat White worms without a problem. Larger Micro worms are a good thing. Sounds crazy to have larger Micro worms, huh?
I know, we have all three.....I was just envisioning a Giant micro worm....LOL....perhaps robust would be a better term??... |^|
QuoteI was just envisioning a Giant micro worm....LOL....perhaps robust would be a better term??
robustus is a common scientific name.
Some thing I really like about micro- and Walter-worms is that their babies are smaller than large paramecia and make good food for baby Danios.
These worms shed their skin to grow like an insect. They have something like 5 stages separated by molts.
The smallest start as little worms coiled up in eggs in the female (hemaphrodite?)'s body.
They are microscopic, but you can make them out as dust in a column of water if you shine the light on them right.
I'm going to try your paper towel trick. Sounds interesting.
WRT your nice link:
When I tested (micro-worms plus paramecia and brine shrimp) vs. (paramecia and brine shrimp) for growing baby zebrafish, the micro-worm combo resulted in better survival and growth (microworms were not limitiing).
My paper towel trick should work for you. I can pour milk down my sleeve, too. I always end up with a wet sleeve though . . . . . LOL
Uh, Oh! Tracking says your worms are in Florida.
At 9:26 AM they were out for delivery in Mississippi. Then, they traveled 772 miles to be delivered at 4:19 PM to Lake Harbor, Fl. Hmmmm.
Don't get me started My Captain, darlin'. They made it to me, finally...way after my mail was delivered the first time. My home delivery has been screwed ever since the old post mistress retired. I was kick ass, cussing mad but I'm calming down now thanks to beer and w!w.
Thanks so very, very, much for the worms and powdered foods :-*
Quote from: LizStreithorst on September 08, 2015, 05:09:49 PM
Don't get me started My Captain, darlin'. They made it to me, finally...way after my mail was delivered the first time. My home delivery has been screwed ever since the old post mistress retired. I was kick ass, cussing mad but I'm calming down now thanks to beer and w!w.
Thanks so very, very, much for the worms and powdered foods :-*
+1.....
So, in less than an hour, they were removed from the mailbox in Florida and quickly transported 772 miles back to Mississippi? Nothing short of miraculous.
Glad you received them. Next time I won't bother with "This side up". LOL
Apparently they beamed them over with the transporter ::) It's amazing what they can do when it comes to late arrival and having to pay out on the insurance.
https://tools.usps.com/go/TrackConfirmAction.action?tRef=fullpage&tLc=1&text28777=&tLabels=9114+9014+9645+0314+4620+83
They took the long way.
Quote from: Rjb3 on September 08, 2015, 06:07:24 PM
https://tools.usps.com/go/TrackConfirmAction.action?tRef=fullpage&tLc=1&text28777=&tLabels=9114+9014+9645+0314+4620+83
They took the long way.
uh oh....... ???
My tracking just said that they were delivered to my mail box although the lady showed up at my door. I didn't move to Florida and I never will. Could be that they beamed me there to pick up the box and beamed me back so fast that I became confused. That's my only explination huh
LOL I had fun with this. LMK if they give you any trouble.
My darlin' Captain. I didn't enjoy it one bit. I will let you know if the worms are dead. I'll also let every one here know if I get beamed again to some other place that I don't want to be.
Wouldn't you know it? My live Black Worms are a day late. Got stuck in Memphis ::)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yA7iGxV6rt4
I contacted Dan and Jennifer at CBW's. It was a mechanical problem with the Fed Ex plane. They offered to reship but I told them to let me check the worms when they arrive. If the worms were kept in an air conditioned room and they arrive at my shop early, they might be OK. This happened once before and they were OK.
Somebody tell me how long it takes the microworms to start climbing up the sides of their containers. So far no crawling up :(
Quote from: LizStreithorst on September 09, 2015, 06:20:42 PM
I contacted Dan and Jennifer at CBW's. It was a mechanical problem with the Fed Ex plane. They offered to reship but I told them to let me check the worms when they arrive. If the worms were kept in an air conditioned room and they arrive at my shop early, they might be OK. This happened once before and they were OK.
Somebody tell me how long it takes the microworms to start climbing up the sides of their containers. So far no crawling up :(
Usually later in the day after we refresh the cultures......some pretty quick tho.....are your cultures moist??
When I start new ones I pour a little water in the old one so lots of worms go in the new one. They start going up the sides only after they cover the whole top of the new culture.
The original cultures should have settled by now.
Do you have lids on your containers??......
Yes but I poked air holes in the lids.
Quote from: LizStreithorst on September 09, 2015, 07:19:49 PM
Yes but I poked air holes in the lids.
...cool, ours stay covered and it helps a lot......
Quote from: Rjb3 on September 09, 2015, 06:51:31 PM
The original cultures should have settled by now.
I'll shoot you an email if I don't see worms crawling up the sides by after work tomorrow.
Dan insisted that I dump my day late worms so I did. He'll send more which should be in tomorrow and can stay in my new fridge until I can get them home and work them.
My Captain, I'm sending you an email. Still no worms crawling up the sides of the containers :(