Microfex Worm Information
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How to Culture Microfex Worms
Microfex Worms are also known as Dero Worms/Deroworms. Microfex worms are one of the best sources of livefood. They are freshwater aquatic worms that breed fast! This makes them a great addition to your fish-room.
Although microfex are seemingly rare, they are an increasingly popular live fishfood.
Instructions for Keeping Microfex Worms
Add microfex worms into a (cycled) 1 gallon container/aquarium or larger.
Tankmates for Microfex Worms Include :
* Daphnia Magna Sp. (Best Species to culture along side of Microfex Worms)
* Pond Snails (Physa Acuta, Planorbis Species, Trumpet Snails, etc.)
(Caution the following creatures are more likely to eat some of your microfex worms)
Other possible tankmates include :
Instructions for Breeding Microfex Worms
Daphnia and Microfex Worm Connection
Microfex Worms are usually cultured alongside of daphnia. The common and easiest species of daphnia to culture with microfex worms is Daphnia Magna Sp.
Daphnia are not essential for keeping microfex worms alive but personally I think it's much easier to culture microfex worms in the same fish tank as daphnia magna. Microfex worms don't need daphnia to live but the daphnia are beneficial to the Microfex worms because the daphnia eat any extra nutrients in the water (nitrates and other organics) and daphnia filter water to some extent.
Learn More about Daphnia Here :
Daphnia eat greenwater which is also easy to culture at home.
Learn more about Greenwater Here :
Microfex worms will benefit from the addition of pond snails into their tank.
Feeding Microfex Worms and Snails
Microfex worms should be fed every day, at least once.
Microfex worms eat sinking algae wafers.
Make sure that the microfex/deroworms are getting enough to eat. If they are eating, then you'll see them eating and crowding around the algae wafer. Once the algae wafers sink to the bottom of the tank, it will take all of the microfex a while to find it. So, you might want to break-up the algae wafers into smaller pieces and sprinkle them throughout the tank. This will make it easier for your microfex worms to find their food.
Feed the pond snails additional foods such as : (fishfood flakes, shrimp pellets and algae wafers) Do this before you feed your microfex worms. Try to feed the snails on the opposite side of the tank from where you will drop in the algae wafers at.
Microfex worms may also eat sinking shrimp pellets and fishfood flakes. But to make sure they are eating, you should feed them algae wafers daily.
Once the snails are eating on the other side of the tank, drop the algae wafers on top of the microfex worm clumps. (make sure to turn off the aquarium light at this point) If you suspect that the DeroWorms aren't getting enough to eat then you can try adding a few more algae wafers in the tank or taking a few snails out of your tank.
Pond snails and microfexworms live happily together in a symbiotic relationship but if high numbers of pond snails are causing any problems for the worms then you can just take all or some of the snails out of the worms tank.
Snails make a complete micro-habitat in any aquarium where they are welcome. Snails clean up any uneaten food that other tankmates might leave behind. Naturally you should ensure that even your snails get enough food to eat during each daily feeding.
Add a few clumps of Filter Floss into all of your microfex worm tanks and fish tanks.
Buying Microfex Worms >> If your looking to buy Microfex Worms, you might find some for sale on Aquabid.com.
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