40 MAINTAINING FISHES 



White worms (Enchytraeus albidus) can be cul- 

 tured in trays of damp, loamy soil at a temperature of 

 55° to 70° F. They are fed pablum, oatmeal or bread. 

 The tray is covered with burlap under which the 

 worms collect and from which they can be removed 

 for use. They tend to collect at the spots at which food 

 is added and can be picked out in masses with tweez- 

 ers. They are suitable food for aU except the smallest 

 of fishes. 



Earthworms ( Lumbricus spp. ) make good fish food 

 and may be fed whole or chopped. They can be 

 grown in a bed of rich soil including some leaf mold 

 and fed a variety of substances. Lard and corn meal 

 have been recommended. The soil must be kept damp 

 but not wet. Sand should not be included in the worm 

 bed as the sharp edges of the grains damage the ali- 

 mentary tract of the worm. The worms must be 

 picked out of the bedding material by hand and can 

 be used at any size. 



Meal worm larvae (of beetles in family Tenebri- 

 onidae) can be cultured ia chick laying mash placed 

 in a one-inch layer over the bottom of a covered 

 container. A 50-gallon aquarium is about the right size. 

 A thick layer of meal tends to sour, so it should be 

 kept thin. Larvae or adult beetles for starting the 

 culture can be collected from the wild or obtained 

 from a biological supply house. They will grow with 

 little attention. Moisture may be added, if desired, on 

 a damp cloth or cotton, but care must be taken not 

 to wet the mash, since the larvae are removed by sift- 

 ing the material through a screen. FuU-grown larvae 

 are about an inch in length, but larvae of any size 

 may be fed. Meal worms are suitable food for larger 



