# Adding worms to the substrate



## Qwe (Jul 8, 2013)

The most common worm for keep substrate aerated would be blackworms, found at many local shops as live food or online on sites such as: http://www.aquaticfoods.com/

They would not do well in a high ammonia environment, so would be best to wait until after the cycle to add them.


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## leemacnyc (Dec 28, 2005)

+1 for blackworms. I have them in my nano's. Very active and fast reproducers!


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## nawilson89 (Nov 17, 2014)

I'd like to jump in on this, as it's really interesting to me. To the affect of aerating the dirt, I have a cap of sand on my tank. Would that pose a problem? Would the dirt end up mixed with sand because of the worms moving around?


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## nchmi28 (Feb 8, 2015)

nawilson89 said:


> I'd like to jump in on this, as it's really interesting to me. To the affect of aerating the dirt, I have a cap of sand on my tank. Would that pose a problem? Would the dirt end up mixed with sand because of the worms moving around?


I also have a sand cap and that's a good question. I do remember reading a post about someone seeing an accumulation of dirt and/or worm poop in tiny mounds around where they had stuck out of the sand.


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## evil nick (Oct 20, 2014)

why not just add trumpet snails?


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## shloken38 (Aug 17, 2012)

evil nick said:


> why not just add trumpet snails?


Exactly what I was thinking....they'd do a better job, and they'll help a little bit with clean up.


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## evil nick (Oct 20, 2014)

lol i have PLENTY I can send before I nuke this tank and set up my 55.


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## nchmi28 (Feb 8, 2015)

evil nick said:


> why not just add trumpet snails?


I actually really like snails and the other tanks I have are full of them, but I was hoping for something that the fish that I'm planning on keeping could hunt. Although I'm not sure if such tiny fish could tackle blackworms or not. If the fish seemed to completely wipe out the population then I might consider going with MTS.


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## shloken38 (Aug 17, 2012)

evil nick said:


> lol i have PLENTY I can send before I nuke this tank and set up my 55.


 
Yeah....me too!!


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## Mariostg (Sep 6, 2014)

nchmi28 said:


> I also have a sand cap and that's a good question. I do remember reading a post about someone seeing an accumulation of dirt and/or worm poop in tiny mounds around where they had stuck out of the sand.


I think you refer to this thread  What is digging up my dirt?


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## nchmi28 (Feb 8, 2015)

Mariostg said:


> I think you refer to this thread  What is digging up my dirt?


I went back and found it and it was this one: http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/showthread.php?t=623234&highlight But the one you shared was interesting.


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## Mariostg (Sep 6, 2014)

nchmi28 said:


> I went back and found it and it was this one: http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/showthread.php?t=623234&highlight But the one you shared was interesting.


Interesting thread too. Never seen it before. I'm interested because I have a tank with "worms" that I have no idea what they are. They stick out of the dirt in groups and wave like Medusa's head...


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## namicat101 (Apr 10, 2015)

I have been looking for a thread like this. Was always interested in worms as everyone else seemed to have them and cant get rid of them, while im just sitting here like "um, can I have some?" Would buy them but not sure as to what ones I should buy.


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## Diana (Jan 14, 2010)

I bought extra California Black Worms and added them to all my tanks. Not sure how they are doing- plants are so dense I cannot see the substrate.


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## nchmi28 (Feb 8, 2015)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LjCvrPXHo-U
This link was shared with me in the thread I started in the invertebrates category. It shows the blackworms sticking out of the substrate while a fish above is completely oblivious to them.


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## evil nick (Oct 20, 2014)

nchmi28 said:


> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LjCvrPXHo-U
> This link was shared with me in the thread I started in the invertebrates category. It shows the blackworms sticking out of the substrate while a fish above is completely oblivious to them.


well THATS creepy and gross lol


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## namicat101 (Apr 10, 2015)

I think that is cool looking, as long as they are not harmful to anything I like it.


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## alcimedes (Dec 7, 2014)

Plus as soon as the fish are hungry, they'll notice the worms.


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## rollinghills (Sep 19, 2011)

How long do blackworms survive in a tank? I heard that they will drown after a while.


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## nchmi28 (Feb 8, 2015)

They'll last until the fish eat them. I'm pretty sure they're aquatic. Maybe your thinking of earth worms?


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## Okedokey (Sep 2, 2014)

Yeah i did this to both my cade tanks over the weekend. I just grabbed a handful and buried them. The rose to the surface and I agitated the worm ball, the floaters got eaten and the rest went into the substrate and are still in there.


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## alohamonte (Jul 25, 2006)

I would take a trumpet snail donation if anyone has extras. PM me


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## rollinghills (Sep 19, 2011)

From aquaticfoods.com

"Keep no more then 3/8" inch of water above them or they may drown."

some other website.

"Black worms breathe air from the atmosphere and will drown if you keep them in containers filled too high with water"


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## nchmi28 (Feb 8, 2015)

rollinghills said:


> From aquaticfoods.com
> 
> "Keep no more then 3/8" inch of water above them or they may drown."
> 
> ...


You've got me digging deeper into this. I found this website: http://www.eeob.iastate.edu/faculty/DrewesC/htdocs/Lvfacts.htm
It says


> Respiration: Worms have no lungs or gills. They breathe through their skin. They can use the dorsal surface of their tail for obtaining oxygen. So, in shallow water, they stick their tail up to the water surface to obtain more oxygen. But, even when there is little oxygen in the water, worms can still survive for long periods of time.


So I guess when keeping them in a small container they can quickly use up the O2 in the water and need to have access to the surface to 'breathe'. I guess you learn something new every day.

Bump: I actually found out that earthworms breathe in a similar fashion 


> Q. Why do worms come onto driveways and sidewalks when it rains?
> A. Dr. Dennis Linden, Cindy Hale, and other worm experts say that worms do NOT surface to avoid drowning. In fact, they come to the surface during rains (especially in the spring) so they can move overland. The temporarily wet conditions give worms a chance to move safely to new places. Since worms breathe through their skin, the skin must stay wet in order for the oxygen to pass through it. After rain or during high humidity are safe times for worms to move around without dehydrating. It is true that, without oxygen, worms will suffocate. But earthworms can survive for several weeks under water, providing there is sufficient oxygen in the water to support them.


 Source


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## Greentech (Mar 4, 2015)

rollinghills said:


> From aquaticfoods.com
> 
> "Keep no more then 3/8" inch of water above them or they may drown."
> 
> ...


*The internet is a powerful tool if you know how to use it.*


Research paper/ information I found while looking into keeping black worms.
Look at Lumbriculus variegatus at the bottom of the page.
http://www.eeob.iastate.edu/faculty/DrewesC/htdocs/ 

Everything you wanted to know about them
http://www.eeob.iastate.edu/faculty/DrewesC/htdocs/Lvgen4.htm

Culturing them
http://www.eeob.iastate.edu/faculty/DrewesC/htdocs/LVCULT.htm

My worm culture has been going great for the last two months. :hihi:

Edit beat me to it.


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## leemacnyc (Dec 28, 2005)

rollinghills said:


> From aquaticfoods.com
> 
> "Keep no more then 3/8" inch of water above them or they may drown."
> 
> ...


They've been thriving in my nanos (non-filtered/no added 02) for years w/out drowning....


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## rollinghills (Sep 19, 2011)

Yikes that's alot of info for a worm lol.

but this forum's knowledge is the best :thumbsup:...for the lazy :hihi:


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