food cultures

I noticed when you mention breeding (and also for adults too I guess) you mention you need live food cultures.

I have seen things like microwarms, BBS etc on ebay for a very low price, except, how much does it cost, and how do you make these cultures?

I am extremely curious as to what they are, I did have a nose on ebay, but not knowing what I am looking for kinda defeats the object lol



so what are these things, and can we have piccies too?

Hi
When people are refering to live food cultures, its normally for the fry. They can be Microworm, Walterworm, Banana worm, Vinegar Eel or baby brineshrimp. Micro, Walter & Banana worms all feed from a yeast based mixture, whereas Vinegar eel are cultured in apple cider vinegar. All are very very tiny worms and can be used as a first food for fry. Its hard to appreciate how small they are, but if you dipped the very tip of your little finger gently on the surface of a culture there would be enough worms to feed a hundred or so fry.
Vinegar eel are the smallest and seem to stay alive longer in the tank with the fry. Mother cultures can be kept alive for ages, and we have a vinegar eel culture that is nearly 2yrs old.
Baby brineshrimp are cultured in slightly salted water that needs to be agitated to keep the brineshrimp eggs moving around. Once the brineshrimp hatch they need to be used within 24hrs before they lose their goodness. Baby brineshrimp are not so small as the worm cultures, and we start feeding with them when the fry are about a week old.

so how are they kept alive? is there a specialist machine, or does a butter tub (for eg) work?

Micro, Walter and Banana worms can be kept in plastic tub like a takeaway tub. They feed off yeast so people use bread or porridge oats. If using oats you need to add yeast. Vinegar eel are kept in a glass bottle with cider vinegar and a slice of apple.

wow thats easy then

hmmm.... ok thank you

oh, if you use bread, do you have to change it if it gets mouldy?

and can you just use yeast from the sachet?

ive got fairy shrimp going for my boys, just for a treat. i use the yeast packets to feed them!

What we have done is to have a second tub. Every couple of weeks place some new bread in the clean tub and put a spoonful of the old culture into the new tub. When using oats, yeh just the yeast you get in the little packets.

I used oats, but there is honestly no need for yeast. My cultures were very successful, and i gave parts of them to members on various forums to.

Just use normal oats, and wet it slightly. Make sure its not to soggy, then add you culture. It should establish itself very quickly depending on how much culture you have. The quickest mine have established are 24 hours. I gave healthy portions to members and theres were also as quick.

To re-culture;- what van said! lol

hope that helps.

Do they smell?

Ahuh! really bad after a few weeks!

They would wouldn't they!

LOL I can just imagine having guests round the house and the starting to stiff the air... and you'd have to say "oh don't worry, it's just the worms i'm growing!!!"

Just tell them you forgot to put away the dinner!