# Worms



## Westender (Mar 24, 2006)

I'm thinking I'd like to start up a redworm culture for two primary reasons -

1 - handle kitchen scraps
2 - feed fishies

Does anyone have any experience with this? Where do you obtain starter cultures?


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## Tabatha (Dec 29, 2007)

I've actually looked into this for kitchen composting purposes and have collected the following links:

Worm Composting: http://homepage.mac.com/cityfarmer/PhotoAlbum23.html

Recycle Zone: http://www.recyclezone.org.uk/az_worms.aspx

Worm Suppliers: http://www.cityfarmer.org/wormsupl79.html

Cathy Crawly's Composters: http://www.cathyscomposters.com/

Cheers!


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## Riceburner (Mar 14, 2008)

I've been thinkin' 'bout it too. I toss in an earthworm now and again...


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## Tabatha (Dec 29, 2007)

I performed another Google search and found a City of Toronto document: http://www.toronto.ca/compost/wormyour.htm

There's a phone number we can call for a list of worm dealers: 392-9804


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## Westender (Mar 24, 2006)

There's a resume header I haven't seen before.

Worm Dealer.

I wonder if they suspend a pair of rubber boots around a telephone wire in their hood to let their clients know they're in business


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## Tabatha (Dec 29, 2007)

Worm pusher??? Going to school yards...

Anyway, I'm trying to convince my husband to buy me a vermicomposter from Cathy's Crawly's Composters.


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## Westender (Mar 24, 2006)

Are you going for the Worm Chalet?

Perfect for your apres-ski compostables.


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## Tabatha (Dec 29, 2007)

ROFLAO, yes, that's the one I liked the best!


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## Tamakun (Mar 30, 2008)

I was just considering this, myself. I throw away so much stuff, and I'd prefer to compost rather than toss it in the trash... I wonder if my girlfriend will like the idea, though...


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## Tabatha (Dec 29, 2007)

Tamakun said:


> I was just considering this, myself. I throw away so much stuff, and I'd prefer to compost rather than toss it in the trash... I wonder if my girlfriend will like the idea, though...


Forget about the girlfriend, what about if the *PLANET* would like the idea!


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## BillD (Jun 5, 2006)

Save some money by getting a rubbermaid container for around $8 and get the worms. A few hole drilled in the sides allows air to enter so the mix doesn't get soggy. For bedding, shredded newspaper is all that is needed.


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## Cory_Dad (Apr 18, 2008)

Tabatha said:


> Forget about the girlfriend, what about if the *PLANET* would like the idea!


Does the PLANET have a younger sister?


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## Ciddian (Mar 15, 2006)

i'd love to get one of these... I have been looking at them for a while but i wanted to wait till we got our temperature issue figured out in the apt. Nothing like warm worms.. Blech..

What i was curious about was if these worms are feeder friendly? I know of a few fish that wouldnt mind some baby worms. The turtles too!


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## Riceburner (Mar 14, 2008)

JDs like earthworms...


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## Tabatha (Dec 29, 2007)

Ciddian said:


> i'd love to get one of these... I have been looking at them for a while but i wanted to wait till we got our temperature issue figured out in the apt. Nothing like warm worms.. Blech..
> 
> What i was curious about was if these worms are feeder friendly? I know of a few fish that wouldnt mind some baby worms. The turtles too!


I think that if you ordered the worms from Cathy Crawly's, they'd be okay to feed but you can always email and ask if they're kept in clean indoor conditions .


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## Erika (Mar 31, 2008)

*Red Wigglers are amazing*

Hi there.
I would highly recommend that you get some red wigglers. I am a novice worm farmer and I am still working out some of the kinks but so far making worms happy makes me happy. 
The worth of worms is immeasurable because as well as kitchen scraps, newspaper, confidential papers that need to be thrown out and all your old receipts become worm bedding. It is a good idea to make the pieces of paper into smallish squares so that the fruit flies can not get into the bin as easily. Also it is not a good idea to keep the worm bin in the kitchen. The flies become quite awful. A dark place is best but I brought my worm bins up to my balcony for the summer because the fruit flies were becoming a problem in our basement. I had them in my locker but because other people use the basement I wanted to give them a break. I will have to get my worms happy so that I can put it back in for the winter.
Red Wigglers can not freeze like an Earth Worm because they do not burrow as deeply as the Earth worm variety that we are more familiar with.


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## Tamakun (Mar 30, 2008)

At a point, I used to keep whiteworms for my fish, but they're not very good for composting, are they? I haven't had a kit for that in years...

Also, I'd really have to be diligent in preventing flies, and I hate flies. I'm in a fairly small condo but I'l keep things in mind...


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## Erika (Mar 31, 2008)

*red wigglers and flies*

So far that is my biggest problem with having the worms and I am hoping that after I harvest them my worms will be happier and I will have less flies over the winter when I have to have them inside.

I have never heard of white worms for fish tanks. I have had live brine shrimp but not for a very long time.
My tank is a 35 gallon that has about 7 Rummy Nose Tetra's, Two Emperor Tetra's one male very much taken with the other female, two Gold Tetra's( three died), two Chinese Algae eaters, one very special but shy,Synodontis Catfish that I call Monster and lastly one female pink Beta who nicest fish in the whole tank.


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## PPulcher (Nov 17, 2006)

I got a redworm starter at an auction several years ago. I split the worms into two rubbermaid bins, around shoebox size. For media, I use shredded newspapers mixed with some earth plus a pinch of garden lime to buffer the pH a little. The whole mess is wetted down. I've also used a commercial bedding for bait worms called 'wonder worm' or something. It resembles dryer lint. Both work fine.

I don't get flies in the cultures, but I do get lots of teeny tiny white mite things that jump. I feed my larger fish with some of the worms every week or so. The fish go nuts. 

The redworms have been exceedingly easy to look after. I've forgotten to feed them for months on end and they always bounce back.


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## Westender (Mar 24, 2006)

My only worry about using shredded newspaper is the toxicity of the ink...


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## PPulcher (Nov 17, 2006)

Westender said:


> My only worry about using shredded newspaper is the toxicity of the ink...


I thought most of the newsprint ink was veggie based these days? I guess that doesn't mean that it's non-toxic though. I guess the larger question would be if it does contain some toxic stuff, does it bioaccumulate in the worms to an extend that it could harm your fish.

Anecdotally, my fish seem fine with occasional treats of worms grown on newsprint.


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## star89 (Apr 2, 2010)

I am a vermicomposter and I know some people who feed their fish with composting worms like Red wiggler worms so I think its pretty safe and the fish will love you for it!


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## characinfan (Dec 24, 2008)

I've had a Worm Chalet from Cathy's Crawlies for a year now. It works very well! Unfortunately, my fish do not like the worms.


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