Microworm observation

[sarahbella]

For what its worth..

I noticed that when i put my tub of microworms on the back of my computer monitor for an hour the heat seems to drive them by the millions to the very top of the tub making for easy, clean harvest...  also very helpful when starting new cultures from nasty ones...

[mseguin]

I used to do the same with the top of my aquarium lights.

[pegasus]

Your observations are good.
more.... your culture will go bad faster, and many cultures were lost after forgetting it on a warmer surface. Also very good technique to gather all remaining worms from a dying culture to be use for starting a new one.

I sometime use the light hoods for 5 to 15 min.

My question:
What makes the culture go liquid?

[sarahbella]

My question:
What makes the culture go liquid?

My guess is enzymes from the microworms digestion process??  

If theres a bowl of potato salad in the fridge and a family member (lets say the husband)  digs in a few times with a spoon straight from the bowl and puts the rest back in the fridge, the next day you are sure to find that the enzymes from the saliva on the spoon have started to break down the salad and it has started to become watery..  nasty...  i assume its the same thing with the microworms??

[mseguin]

General digestion (enzymes would be correct as a subset). I imagine they excrete water after digesting the food substance.

[pegasus]

I suspect you guys are right. I first suspect yeast but with or without, the results were the same.

BTW It's also my observation that yeast will also kill fungus growing on the culture.

Wait till zapisto find this thread.... He writes articles on the subject and also makes it his business