Micro worms: the ideal food for fry and juvenile fish
What are Micro worms?
Micro worms (Panagrellus redivivus) are tiny white worms, 0.5 to 2 mm long. Fully aquatic after distribution, they wriggle for several hours in the water column or on the bottom, remaining small enough to be swallowed from the first days of fry life, just after infusoria or nematodes. Rich in protein and very digestible, they are the perfect step between infusoria and young daphnia or Grindal worm. They advantageously replace artemias as they are infinitely easier to raise and non-salty.
Why use Micro worms in Aquariums?
- Very stimulating live food: triggers appetite, improves growth and colors.
- Perfect size for guppy, betta, corydoras, cichlid fry, etc.
- Do not pollute the water: consumed within minutes or degrade without impact, especially in the presence of snails. They contain no salt, unlike artemia nauplii.
- High protein content, absolutely essential for the harmonious growth of fry.
- Ultra-simple home breeding: culture with our special spirulina substrate, without strong odor or chemicals. Consider La ZollaBox Baby, which contains everything needed (strain, equipment, substrate, and detailed instructions).
- Extreme convenience: a simple small sample with a brush allows distribution, making it very easy to feed fry many times a day in just seconds and without any effort.
Who are Micro worms intended for?
- 🥇 Fry breeders looking for a non-salty alternative to artemias that is easier to raise.
- 🐟 All aquarists who may have unexpected spawnings and therefore need suitable and ready food at any time.
- 🌈 Enthusiasts of livebearing fish (guppies, etc.), for whom Micro worms are a suitable food from birth, and easy to keep at home permanently.
Usage Tips
- 🖌️ Collect the worms climbing on the culture walls with a brush or cotton swab.
- 💧 Dip the brush loaded with worms into the fry aquarium: the worms fall and sink slowly.
- 🕒 Frequency: as many small feedings per day as the fry can eat.
- 🏠 Culture storage: small closed container at room temperature (18 - 24 °C). Transfer the culture every month.
Micro worms Aquarium FAQ
What is their size?
Between 0.5 mm (newborns) and 2 mm for adults, but especially only a few microns thick! They are therefore perfect for most fry from day 3.
Can they survive long in the tank?
No. They are generally eaten quickly; those that sink die and are eaten by microfauna and snails.
Will they pollute the water?
No. Their biomass is ridiculously low and they are consumed or decompose without notable ammonia release.
Do they need to be acclimated?
No need. They go directly from the culture to the tank.
How to restart a new culture?
Take a pinch of worms from the old culture and transfer it to the new substrate, moistened to form a paste. The new culture restarts quickly.
How to separate them from their substrate for harvesting?
In a mature culture, the Grindal worms climb by themselves in the thousands on the container walls. They are therefore clean and harvestable with a simple brush.
What if we don’t know how to do it?
Choose the ZollaBox Baby, which contains everything needed and step-by-step instructions.
Additional information
Scientific name: Panagrellus redivivus
Size: 0.5 - 2 mm, but only a few microns thick
Packaging: live starter strain (several thousand Micro worms)
Warranty: we raise our own strains on a neutral spirulina substrate, without any chemical additives or preservatives.
Recommendation: consider the ZollaBox Baby, which allows you to raise your Micro worms with ease. Strain, equipment and suitable container, substrate and step-by-step instructions provided.
