Microworms (Panagrellus sp.) for filter feeding invertebrate

[Anonymous]

I'm curious if anybody has tried to feed microworms to their filter feeding corals, gorgonians, crinoids, etc.

A little background for those who like me (up until a day ago) have never heard of microworms. They are a very tiny nematode (Panagrellus sp.) that are easily cultured in great numbers and are slightly smaller than a brine shrimp nauplii. Freshwater breeders feed them to raise killifish and betta that are too small to take BBS when newly hatched, and they have also been used to raise some saltwater fish species. It turns out that their nutritional profile is fairly similar to BBS and they can be enriched to provide more HUFAs and other stuff they're missing. They live for at least 12 hours in fresh water, and at least 15 minutes in saltwater (personal experiment ).

Thoughts?

 

[liquid]

Worked for my cardinalfish fry. Tried it 2 yrs ago w/ success. These are more commonly referred to as 'microworms' ( http://members.optushome.com.au/chelmon/microwrm.htm ) by the FW folks and they're super easy to culture. If my cardinalfish would have spawned again, I would have tried it again.

Another interesting one to try would be 'vinegar eels' ( http://members.optushome.com.au/chelmon/vinegar.htm ). I tried these too and they stay in the water column much longer than microworms since vinegar eels are cultured in a liquid medium. They also worked well for cardinals.

Shane

 

[Anonymous]

Worked for my cardinalfish fry. Tried it 2 yrs ago w/ success. These are more commonly referred to as 'microworms' ( http://members.optushome.com.au/chelmon/microwrm.htm ) by the FW folks and they're super easy to culture. If my cardinalfish would have spawned again, I would have tried it again.

Another interesting one to try would be 'vinegar eels' ( http://members.optushome.com.au/chelmon/vinegar.htm ). I tried these too and they stay in the water column much longer than microworms since vinegar eels are cultured in a liquid medium. They also worked well for cardinals.

Shane

You're the man Shane. Thanks much!

 

[liquid]

I tell you what, these two worm cultures were by far the easiest to get started AND maintain of any live food I tried. A monkey could do it. I'd say try it in your tank for your animals and see what results you get.

Shane

 

[Chubosco]

Very interesting!

 

[Anonymous]

Matt, talk to Bookfish, he used to cutlure vinegar eels for his Killies.

 

[Anonymous]

I tell you what, these two worm cultures were by far the easiest to get started AND maintain of any live food I tried. A monkey could do it. I'd say try it in your tank for your animals and see what results you get.

Shane

True, even I could raise them with ease during my brief stint in killifish culture . I wonder though how they are nutritonally for saltwater fish as opposed to gut loaded BBS.

 

[Snowboarda42]

Do any other fish eat them as well?

And where do you get the cultures from?

 

[Anonymous]

Well I have some great news. A non-photosynthetic coral that I am tentatively ID'ing as a Scleronephthya sp. definitely catches and consumes these worms, as well as BBS and Cyclop-eeze. 8) Next up is seeing whether they provide enough nutrition long term. Stay tuned....

 

[liquid]

Excellent.

Did you try the vinegar eels (Turbatrix aceti or Anguillula aceti)yet? ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vinegar_eels )

The reason I ask is that A.aceti seemed to stay suspended in the water column longer than the microworms due to their swimming nature.

Shane

 

[Anonymous]

capture doesn't equate to eating though Pseudo feces comes to mind as does regurgitating. Both make a good dent in the DEB (dymanic energy budget) of the coral and cause more harm then good.

 

[Anonymous]

capture doesn't equate to eating though Pseudo feces comes to mind as does regurgitating. Both make a good dent in the DEB (dymanic energy budget) of the coral and cause more harm then good.

I watched a few polyps for a while. They closed up and didn't reopen for about 5-10 minutes or so after catching the worms. When they did, nothing came out. Do you have any idea how long it might take for them to regurgitate the worm? What should I be looking for?

 

[Anonymous]

I have no idea. I was just shooting it across your bow so that you'd have yet another thing to think about :lol:

I'm sure each coral species is different, and I bet individuals have their own DEB at that.

An excellent area for a researcher to get involved in. If you know any, I'll help sponsor the research either with funding and or product.

 

[Anonymous]

I have no idea. I was just shooting it across your bow so that you'd have yet another thing to think about :lol:

I'm sure each coral species is different, and I bet individuals have their own DEB at that.

An excellent area for a researcher to get involved in. If you know any, I'll help sponsor the research either with funding and or product.

I need to look up whether they regurgitate or not. Come to think of it, I have a bunch of octocoral researchers sitting a floor above me that I could probably just ask... :roll: :lol:

I've read about pseudofeces. From what I understand it is fairly quick, and the food is ejected when the polyp reopens. These don't seem to be doing that. From what I understand about pseudofeces it is primarily a response to catching prey that is too large for the animal to ingest. Delbeek and Sprung report that Scleronephthya will eat prey as large as baby Artemia. Anyhow, enough random conjecture on my part...I'll update this one in 6 months or sooner if I see good growth.

Thanks for the thoughts.