Storing fresh Australian Black Worms

[Ziggy]

Hi folks all,
Each Wednesday I buy some fresh Australian Black Worms from my LFS because that's the day their fresh stock arrives from blackworms.com.au so I know they're fresh but how then to best keep them as fresh as possible for as long as possible?
When I get them home, I put them in an open container in the fridge but should I also be rinsing them in declorinated water each day or something? The last couple of batches I but have had dead worms in them within a couple of days and this is such a waste.
Ideas gratefully received.
Ziggy

[discusriver]

hi i have had good success keeping blackworms alive .firstly you must have a flat bottemed open container ,this is very important because if the worms are bunched up in the container the ones in the centre sufficate and die contaminating the rest.rinse twice daily with declorinated water and not to much water just enough to cover.and lastly keep them in the fridge, mine will usually last up to 2 weeks this way.regards lawrence

[Ziggy]

Excellent, thanks heaps :)

[Ziggy]

Just a quickly please? How to rinse them? Do I empty them not a net and change the water in the container? Unsure how to rinse them. Sorry, I know I must sound like a nut! :)

[Hooked]

Hi Ziggy,

I agree with DiscusRiver. I use a two litre ice cream container and generally buy about 10 x 20ml serves of the live black worm each time. Like you I get them on the day delivered. I keep a litre bottle of dechlorinated water in the fridge that I syphon out of my water aging barrels. When home I put them straight in the container and pour in about half a litre of the water and give them a gentle rinse by moving my finger through them. I then just pour out as much as I can without starting to spill any. Then top up as Lawrence said with water. I cover them with about half a centimetre to a centimetre of water and rinse the worms as above on my morning feed and evening feed. You can buy a fine sieve for black worms if you really want to get all the water changed out but I find the water stays crystal clear and the worms stay good indefinitely without having to get every drop of water out. I don't aerate them, I think some people do but I haven't found it necessary. I have found that there is no smell this way also. I don't use a lid and they never climb out. I think they will only climb the container if the water is left to foul.

Cheers

[Ziggy]

Thanks Hooked, that is really helpful :)
Smiles,
Ziggy