White worms too large for larvae?

[stanleyc]

Would adult white worms be too large to be used as a starter food for C. Orientalis?

I am thinking about starting a culture for my larvae. I know a culture will produce smaller worms as well, but if i put some larger worms in with the larvae would the smaller larvae try to eat a worm to large and choke? If so, is there an easy way to separate the worms by size?

I want to use white worms instead of Grindal because I'd like to be able to use them for the larger larvae and maybe my adult C. Orientalis too.

Also, if i start either culture, when will I be able to harvest?


Thanks in advance
Stanley

 

[Yahilles]

I have grindal culture and previously i had whiteworms as well. I use young grindal worms as food for two-legged Cynops larvae as well as for aquatic morphs (<4 cm long). Adult whiteworms will be certainly too big food for larvae - you need the smaller ones from your own culture.
I think that after 2-3 weeks you should be able to harvest very small worms for larvae.
C.e.e larva

C.o larva

 

[Jennewt]

The larvae will not choke; they will eat the smaller worms and leave the larger ones. You may be able to sort the large/small whiteworms using a fine kitchen strainer. You may need to experiment with several different strainers until you find one that works well. From a starter culture, you should be able to start harvesting small amounts in a couple of weeks.

 

[stanleyc]

Thanks, i think I will start a white worm culture and figure it out then.

 

[vincent]

Hi just read your thread whilst browsing I place a small piece of glass on top of the soil/ peat what ever you are culturing them in, then just lift the glass up and you can scrape the worms gently into your tank minus the muck. A friend of mine feeds his on sausage meat and has some really big strong cultures containing all size's. However I gave it a go and just got a sour horrid smelling thing, I'am now using a small piece of dog food every three days for the worms to feed on I now have a vibrant culture. Try tubifex worms chopped or frozen blood worms chopped and dropped onto a small air-stone the movement gets them to feed you don't need a lot what about daphnia for a few weeks to get size on to them. Hope you find this useful.

 

[vincent]

Update on white-worm cultures this year has been my best ever for cultivating white-worm as you open the lid the population has exploded and there are millions of worms all along the margarine tub sides of all sizes. Basically all I'm doing is keeping them on about 2inch depth of soil moderately warm and feeding them 25% of a teaspoon of dog food [THE LOAF TYPE] and they are now prolific a lot better result than using bread Hope this helps