Wednesday, December 26, 2012

Growing Grindal Worms: Small Worms Big Benefits

OPENING:  It's sad but true.  Your stunning halfmoon male betta is getting bored with his daily pellet rations.  To him it's about as exciting as eating wall paper paste.  Not to mention that the sameness of it all is driving him mad.  Or at least making him mad and leaving him to wonder if it would kill you to offer a bit of variety to the same ole same ole diet day after day. 

Fact is some betta keepers are clueless about what to feed their fighting fish beyond pellets.  They're in the dark about their options.  Completely baffled as to how to tell good food options from the bad.  Unaware that easily raised live food options exist that have the potential to unleash a one fish feeding frenzy. Here's help.

Because one good alternative would be Grindal worms.  I know. You've likely never heard of them before.  Your betta probably hasn't either but in a flash he'll get the drift that the endless days of bland pellets are dead and gone. As he delights in sucking in all the wriggling tasty treats he can before you change your mind or something. 

This video shows how easy it is to culture them.  And don't worry I've taken notes for you which follow. So sit back, relax and take in the presentation.

Step One:  Accumulate items from your materials list:

  • Substrate or growing media aka potting soil
  • Butter bread aka Grindal worm food
  • Probiotic yogurt
  • Starter culture
  • Culturing Container any disposable plastic container (like these Glad containers)
  • Coffee Filter
  • Duct tape and Masking Tape
  • Blade Cutter
  • Spray Bottle with Aged Water

Step Two:  Cut an air duct in the lid of your culturing container.  Tape a piece of coffee filter somewhat bigger than the hole using the duct tape it to keep the worms in and pests out

Step Three: Add the potting soil to the container.

Step Four: Spray down the potting soil until it is wet but not sopping wet. 

Step Five:  Spread the yogurt on the bread - this is the worm food.  Yogurt being full of beneficial bacteria are eaten by the worms and then the bettas.  So the betta is in essence getting his probiotics if indirectly from the worms.  You can feed the worms other things too like better quality dog food, freeze dried krill, keeping in mind what the worms eat your fish will be eating too in essence. 

Step Six:  Add the starter culture on top of the bread.

Step Seven:  Note the start date on a piece of masking tape taped to the lid and snap it onto the container. Set it aside to let the worms do their thing - eat and multiply.  How fast things develop depend on the temperature and quality of food. 

Step Eight: For ease of harvesting you might cover the food with some kind of plastic.  You could use plexiglass, the lid from an old CD/DVD jewel case, things like that.

Step Nine: Now if all goes well, things will progress and the piece of plastic will start to look like this.


Once the worms are literally crawling up the sides it's time to commence feeding.  You'll need a harvest tool if you won't want to swoop them up by running your finger along the side of the container.  That might be a tooth pick, paint brush or Q-Tip.  Then simply swish the worms in the water taking care not to over feed because any worms left uneaten will tend to foul the water which can cause all sorts of unwanted problems. 

CONCLUSION:  There you go.  If your hungry male betta is tired of pellets morning, noon, and night Grindal worms might just be the change of pace he needs to get him excited about meal time again. Or a great answer for those looking to solve the problem of what else can betta fish eat besides pellets? 

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