How to split my white worm culture.

[Mettle]

I bought a white worm culture a little while ago... I got it in a white styrofoam container. Deli-style with the plastic lid. Holes poked in it of course.

Seems I've been doing something right as the population is exploding and I have WAY too many in there from the looks of things.

I'm wanting to split it out and start up a couple new cultures.

I was wondering a couple of things.

What's the ideal container to use. Is styrofoam the best or can I use plastic? Does the container have to be mostly opaque like the styrofoam one I have now or can it be clear like a tupperware? If styrofoam is the way to go - where can I pick up some cheap ones?

What's the best soil to use? (I got them in soil and am presuming that's what I should use for the split cultures.)

I'm a bit amazed at how easy it's been to keep this culture going. And all the fish I've had have loved them!

Cheers.

[Woody]

I use tupperware containers, the ones you can by at the dollar store, 5 to 8 inches wide  by a foot long, three inches deep. I keep the containers in a cool cupboard so it doesn't matter to me if the are clear or not. Poke a few holes in the top.
After speaking wth Pegasus I have performed a few experiments and found they do best in potting soil, the type not to heavy with peat moss. Too much peat moss and I find that the yields are less.
I bought one of those white containers last year and now feed several hundred fish two times a week with them.

Woody

[pegasus]

After speaking wth Pegasus I have performed a few experiments and found they do best in potting soil, the type not to heavy with peat moss. Too much peat moss and I find that the yields are less.

Great to know that you got the same results Woody.
My best cultures are in potting soil only, but after a while the earth become so compacted that the worms stays on the surface. I'm yet to try adding formiculite or maybe better.. the styrofoam pellets.

Keeping them in the dark could also help IMHO. In the light they tend to feed  from under and on the side of the piece of bread but in the dark they will cover the piece. I also suspect that they also release their young on top of the bread when the humidity his right.

When you'll see your worms going on the sides of your container, you'll know that you have 2-3 days to divide your culture before it will collapse.

Reminds me.... forgot to feed my worms tonight.

[zapisto]

hey guys
try coconut fiber, and let me know if you come back to earth after that

[pegasus]

hey guys
try coconut fiber, and let me know if you come back to earth after that

NOT if we smoke it.      

You have a cultural source?    (between friends)
Arts & Craft maybe?

[BigDaddy]

I have read that peat moss isn't prefered as it tends to make the medium acidic.  Additionally, as the culture grows, the increasing biomass makes any medium more and more acidic.

If the medium becomes too acidic, that's what typically causes the culture to crash.

[brad]

What about mixing lime in the soil to reduce acidity?

Where can you find coconut fiber?

[pegasus]

I'm using baking soda but it only been two weeks, the experience is still going. I should have results in 2-3 weeks.
BTW the baking soda was added to a collapsed culture not a new one.

[brad]

Hate to bring up an 8 month old topic but Zapisto sent me a wonderful starter of white worms and I still haven't found any coconut fiber locally. I found it on Ebay but shipping is killer. How's the experiment with baking soda and soil doing? Or better yet, anyone know where I can get coconut fiber?

[cory]

off a coconut.

[Toss]

Thay also use it as planting medium for orchid. you may try crushed coconut shells.

[pegasus]

How's the experiment with baking soda and soil doing?

The adult could take it but the smaller newborn  worm did not seem to like it. I now resort to adding a 1/4" of soil half black earth, half peatmoss with a pinch of baking soda.

[zapisto]

some tips for media :

- coconut fiber
- worm bedding

[lucky777]

off a coconut.

Probably a good place to look LOL