Enchytraeus buchholzi

Enchytraeus buchholzi (Grindal worm) are cultured by aquarists as a fish food. They are used for conditioning tropical fish before spawning, or for young fast-growing fish.

Grindal worms, Enchytraeus buchholzi (Vejdovsky, 1879) are a smaller relative of the whiteworm, but usually only grow to about 10 mm and thus are an ideal size for most rainbowfishes including both adults and larger fry. Mrs. Morten Grindal, of Sweden, who was prominent in the development of culturing techniques for whiteworms, was apparently the first person to isolate this smaller species. Grindal worms can be cultured exactly as whiteworms but are a much more adaptable species and have a greater tolerance for warmer temperatures. Maturity has been reported to occur around 16 days at 20°C, the clitellum (see above) forming when the worms are about 3~4 mm. The generation period (cocoon to cocoon) is about a month at 20°C.

In laboratory testing, Enchytraeus buchholzi were kept in an incubator at 15 ± 2°C. Water loss and food were replenished if necessary during the test period. After 21 days the offspring and the surviving adults were counted. For two moisture levels (5% and 20% water content) the segment number of the surviving adults was counted. From 20% up to 40% water content Enchytraeus buchholzi showed no significant difference in reproduction. Below 20% and above 40%, the number of offspring was reduced. No juveniles were found at 5% water content, although adult survival was equal to higher moisture levels. Reproduction was decreased at 30% water content compared to 25% and 35% water content. Low soil moisture inhibited not only reproduction, but had also a negative effect on the growth of the parent generation.

References