Red Wigglers

[evan]

I've started a vermicomposting bin and got the idea to feed the worms to my fish.

Has anyone tried this?

[Ravnis]

I've found it's just easier to just through them in the growbed. The worms that you raise are really worth a lot more as worms to gardeners than they are as fish food, but it does make you more sustainable.

[evan]

They were only three dollars at the bait shop. I think that they are red wigglers:



As they reproduce I may just take some from the compost and supplementally feed to the fish as a treat.

I don't really want them crawling out of my hydroton as my setup is indoors...

[GaryD]

Hi Evan,

If they are red wrigglers, they are compost worms and I don't think they can survive for long outside of an organic food source. At worst, they might leave your systema and attempt to leg it outside.....to a bigger food source.

Gary

[evan]

I think I'll keep them in my compost bin and out of the grow bed for now. Can anyone ID those worms? They look similar to the pictures of red wigglers I've seen, just not sure - the container was labeled big reds.

[fishfood]

Do your self a favour and stick a few in one of your grow beds [they will do more good than bad]

[Ravnis]

Those are most likely Eisenia Hortensis if you bought them from a bait shop, Especially if they were from DF farms. They look like the "pan trout" worms I had bought from Wal-mart in the sporting goods section a year ago.

I have two systems and one is indoors. I put worms in it over 6 months ago. THey stay there. As long as you have good aeration and fish in the system they will work wonders there and help prevent clogs in your growbeds. This will inturn help you prevent from the growbeds overflowing onto the living room floor(or wherever you have your system). I haven't seen them go in the plumbing so you will have to keep that cleared out as needed. This system is now a year old and putting worms have done nothing, except be beneficial with solids control.

[GaryD]

Hi evan,

If the experience of most other aquaponicists holds true in your situation, you may find that worms will eventually occupy your grow beds regardless of where the grow beds are and whether you put them in there or not.

I'm with FF and Ravnis.......they'll only bring a benefit. Their numbers tend to match the availability of food in the grow bed so they self-regulate. My experience of worms is that they only leave a food source if the conditions are no longer to their liking.

Gary

[evan]

Looks like you're right Ravnis, they look like Eisenia Hortensis or European night crawlers. The information on the web is mixed, however many people claim that they can be used for vermicomposting and they do seem to like my veggie scraps.

I guess I will throw a few in my grow beds when they get going.

[mornings]

I think the most ravenous eaters are Eisenia fetida and Lumbricus rubellus. supposedly the former lives longer than the latter but I'm not sure it makes much difference. Both will reproduce quickly as long as there is food available.

In the case of your grow beds, they are not only cleaning up debris, they are providing as much as 50% more in nutrient for your plants and, possibly, avoiding disease problems from fish feces that don't break down easily. Left over root hairs and such get converted too.

Worms also provide a plant food that is almost complete and ready for plants. In effect, there is little or no ammonia, therefore for little strain on your bio-filter. You could read that last as less need for bio-filter. Too, they enhance your bio-filter because they encourage beneficial bacteria and discourage pathogens.

From Clive A Edwards (author of "Biology and Ecology of worms", the "bible on worms, "The earthworms do more than produce nutrients- the microbial activity they promote produces plant growth hormones (which are very soluble) and plant-growth regulators."

What we don't know yet is which are the best suited for GBs. Many APers report the worms just showing up -- but not which species they are (they all look alike to me). I have 7 different species of earthworms in my garden (NRCS told me so), none of which are Eisenia fetida or Lumbricus rubellus. These worms do not compete with each other, they apparently have different functions. World wide there are about 1800 species of ground worms (there many more that actually live in the water).

So much we don't know. But, what's not to like?

The only problem I've ever heard of was where some fisherman has dumped worms in cold forests. These manure worms will destroy the thick layers of organic matter that have built up over centuries that normally protect the soils. If you live in these area be careful what you import.

m