Sometimes I think the side projects that come with fish keeping are some of the most fun aspects of this hobby. If you are fortunate enough that the hobby leads you down the path to start spawning and raising fish, you will eventually spend some time with live food cultures.
When it comes to live food cultures, Enchytraeus albidus, or white worms, are one of the main stays in the hobby. Fish keepers had been culturing these worms long before I entered the hobby as is evidenced by the generous chapter given to their care a propagation in my 1957 copy of Exotic Aquarium Fishes.
White worms have the reputation of being a fantastic live food used to bring fish into spawning condition, and that’s what brought them to my mind as I’ve been struggling with several species in my fish room. Just a quick post on the CAFE forum, and my good friend Bob Townsend was offering to get me started with a fresh culture.
Now to set the record strait, I am no expert when it comes to culturing white worms. In the past, I’ve had pretty good success with them over the winter months, but invariably my cultures would crash as the temperatures went up in the summer. I am hoping this time around to purchase a small wine cooler, or dorm refrigerator to keep them at their preferred 60 degrees Fahrenheit this summer.
Thanks to Bob, I now have two thriving white worm cultures going. No more excuses when it comes to getting my fish in spawning condition!!!