LIVE FOOD FOR TROPICAL FISH--CULTURED BLACKWORMS** ** CULTURED BLACKWORMS ARE BLACKWORMS GROWN UNDER COMPLETELY CONTROLLED CONDITIONS. thEY ARE GROWN USING CLEAN COLD WATER AND ARE FED A SPECIAL GROUND GRAIN FEED WHICH CONTAINS NO ANIMAL PRODUCTS OR ANY WASTE PRODUCTS. THEY ARE NOT RAISED IN CONJUNCTION WITH ANY FISH OR OTHER ANIMALS. HERE ARE A FEW SUGGESTIONS FROM J. FLOWERS ON THE CARE OF CULTURED BLACKWORMS. TROPICAL FISH LOVE BLACKWORMS, THEY ARE EASY TO KEEP AND GIVE VARIETY TO THEIR DIET. HOLDING: 1. MOST IMPORTANT ! KEEP AT A COLD 40-60 DEGREES TEMPERATURE A. THIS CAN BE WITH COLD WATER (REGULAR TAP OR CHILLED ONE TIME OR CHILLED RECIRCULATED). IF YOUR WATER TEMPERATURE EXCEEDS 65 DEGREES F. YOU MUST PUT FEWER WORMS PER CONTAINER AND USE MORE CIRCULATION. B. USE OF COLD BOX, REGRIGERATOR OR AIR CONDITIONED ROOM, TEMPERATURES SHOULD BE 36-50 DEGREES F.) 1. USING THIS METHOD, YOU WILL BE PUTTING THE WORMS IN SHALLOW CONTAINERS SUCH AS CAT PANS, CUT-OFF STYROFOAM BOXES AND ANY OTHER CONTAINER WHICH WILL KEEP THE WORMS. METAL CONTAINERS SHOULD NOT BE MADE OF COPPER, BRASS OR GALVANIZED MATERIAL. ALUMINUM OR STAINLESS STEEL IS OKAY. IF YOU USE A TOP ON THESE CONTAINERS MAKE SURE YOU LEAVE AN OPENING FOR FRESH AIR TO ENTER. 2. IN AREAS OF THE COUNTRY WITH HIGH HUMIDITY WHERE MOISTURE CONDENSES ON COLD SURFACES THE WORMS WILL CRAWL UP THE SIDES OF THE CONTAINER. 3. WORMS KEPT IN THIS MANNER SHOULD NOT HAVE ANY WATER OVER THE TOP OF THEM, JUST ENOUGH TO KEEP THEM WET. ( AQUARIUMS ARE USED IN OUR HATCHERY IN AN AIR CONDITIONED ROOM.) 2. OXYGENATED WATER. A. WATER FROM THE TAP OR FROM A WELL IS DEVOID OF OXYGEN AND MUST BE AERATED BEFORE USING ON THE WORMS. 1. USE A SPRAY BAR TO AERATE THE WATER. USE PVC PIPE WITH SMALL HOLES DRILLED EVERY FEW INCHES. USE SPRAY TIPS WHICH SPRAY THE WATER OUT IN A FAN SHAPED SPRAY. 2. USE OF AIR STONES MUST BE IN CONJUNCTION WITH CIRCULATED (MOVING) WATER. PUTTING AIR STONES IN A SHALLOW TANK OF WORMS WILL NOT PROVIDE GOOD AERATION OR CIRCULATION. 3. SPACING A. USE THE RULE OF 60 TO DETERMINE HOW MANY WORMS TO PUT IN EACH TRAY. MULTIPLY THE LENGTH ( IN INCHES AT THE BOTTOM) TIMES THE WIDTH ( IN INCHES AT THE BOTTOM) OF THE CONTAINER AND DIVIDE THAT FIGURE BY 60. THE RESULTS WILL BE THE NUMBER OF POUNDS THE CONTAINER WILL HOLD. EXAMPLE 8 INCHES BY 12 INCHES EQUALS 96 SQUARE INCHES DIVIDED BY 60 EQUALS 1.6 POUNDS SO THE CONTAINER WILL HOLD 1 1/2 POUNDS OF WORMS. 4. CLEANING A. WORMS KEPT IN TRAYS MUST BE CLEANED A MINIMUM OF ONCE EVERY TWO DAYS. PUT THE WORMS FROM THE TRAY IN A BUCKET OR PAN, FILL THE CONTAINER WITH WATER AND STIR THE WORMS GENTLY UNTIL ANY DEBRIS IS SUSPENDED IN THE WATER. LET THE WORMS SETTLE TO THE BOTTOM OF THE CONTAINER AND POUR OFF THE DIRTY WATER AND ANY DEBRIS THAT MAY BE PRESENT. PUT THE WORMS BACK INTO A CLEAN CONTAINER WITH VERY LITTLE WATER. RECEIVING: 1. THE FIRST FEW HOURS AFTER RECEIVING WORMS ARE THE MOST IMPORTANT. WORMS WHICH ARE HELD IN WATER MUST BE STIRRED AT LEAST THREE (3) TIMES DURING THE FIRST TWO HOURS AFTER UNPACKING. THIS GIVES ANY WEAK ONES A BETTER CHANCE TO RECOVER FROM THE STRESS OF SHIPPING AND ALLOWS ANY DEBRIS OR OTHER WASTES TO FLOW OUT OF THE TANK. 2. WORMS KEPT IN TRAYS IN A REFRIGERATOR SHOULD BE RINSED BEFORE PUTTING THEM AWAY. TO RINSE THE WORMS PUT THEM IN A BUCKET FULL OF WELL AERATED WATER., GENTLY STIR THE WORMS UNTIL ALL THE DEBRIS IS LOOSE IN THE WATER, LET THE WORMS SETTLE TO THE BOTTOM OF THE BUCKET FOR A FEW MINUTES AND THEN POUR OFF THE EXCESS WATER. IF THE WATER IS EXTRA DIRTY REPEAT THE ABOVE PROCEDURE UNTIL THE WATER IS CLEAN. ANY CLUMPS OF WORMS THAT MAY BE PRESENT SHOULD BE REMOVED FROM THE OTHERS AND SET ASIDE FOR SPECIAL HANDLING. WORMS WILL SOMETIMES FORM CLUMPS. IF THIS HAPPENS GENTLY SHAKE THE WORMS IN WATER UNTIL THEY COME LOSE FROM EACH OTHER. ALWAYS PUT CLUMPED WORMS IN A SEPARATE TRAY WITH PLENTY OF ROOM TO SPREAD OUT. 3. WORMS THAT COME IN STRESSED WILL HAVE THE FOLLOWING SIGNS: A. DARK OR BLOODY WATER B. CLUMPED WORMS C. LIMP, LIFELESS WORMS D. EXCESSIVE SLIME E. GRAY OR LIGHT COLOR ALL OF THESE CONDITIONS SHOULD BE HANDLED BY FOLLOWING THE SUGGESTIONS PRESENTED HERE. 4. WORMS THAT ARE MIXED WITH DEAD WORMS (TURNED WHITE) SHOULD NOT BE STIRRED EXCESSIVELY, SINCE THE DEAD WORMS WILL POLLUTE THE REST OF THE WATER. THE LIVE WORMS WILL FORM A LAYER ON TOP OF THE DEAD WORMS OR WILL CRAWL TO THE EDGES OF THE CONTAINER AND CAN BE PEELED OFF THE DEAD WORMS, SEPARATED AND PUT IN A CLEAN CONTAINER. THE DEAD WORMS SHOULD BE REMOVED FROM THE SYSTEM AND DISPOSED OF (DO NOT USE THE DEAD WORMS TO FEED FISH.) ** CULTURED BLACKWORMS IS A TRADEMARK OF J.F. ENTERPRISES .............SORRY FOR ALL THE SHOUTING................