MFT, Meet "Meaty"
- Thread starter Katie217
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True enough, lol.
I'm about to hijack your thread a little bit here...just thought you should know...
What I was wondering is if Heather (a.k.a. MissDixie) could please post the details of the mealworm-raising 'facility' recipe? If you don't have all the details or know whether or not it works well (you said you just recently set it up, right?) then feel free to just list the items/quantities that you know of.
I really want to give it a go if it's not too painstaking a chore, lol.
One of my best buddies has geckos for which he raises mealworms...or at least he used to (not sure if he does it anymore). Anyway, I seem to recall there being a big rubbermaid container filled with a bunch of 'granulous stuff' along with chunks of potato and some beetles in it, along with their larvae (the 'mealies') of course.
In sum, it kinda sounds like you know what you're doing, Heather...I'd just like more specifics on the whole deal. You know---specific instructions that even a couple of 'crazy Canadians' could follow...
Thanks!
BV
I'm about to hijack your thread a little bit here...just thought you should know...
What I was wondering is if Heather (a.k.a. MissDixie) could please post the details of the mealworm-raising 'facility' recipe? If you don't have all the details or know whether or not it works well (you said you just recently set it up, right?) then feel free to just list the items/quantities that you know of.
I really want to give it a go if it's not too painstaking a chore, lol.
One of my best buddies has geckos for which he raises mealworms...or at least he used to (not sure if he does it anymore). Anyway, I seem to recall there being a big rubbermaid container filled with a bunch of 'granulous stuff' along with chunks of potato and some beetles in it, along with their larvae (the 'mealies') of course.
In sum, it kinda sounds like you know what you're doing, Heather...I'd just like more specifics on the whole deal. You know---specific instructions that even a couple of 'crazy Canadians' could follow...
Thanks!
BV
LOOOL nice avatar! there is this program that is like automatic and on the outline of the object you just click like every few centermeters apart and it automatically knows the rough outline. If you did that you could cut out Meaty p) and then copy and paste him onto a black background. Sorry if thats confusing i cant explain things in words
p) and then copy and paste him onto a black background. Sorry if thats confusing i cant explain things in words
HAHA BV MY BEST FRIEND IS CANADIAN I KNOW ALL ABOUT EXPLAINING THINGS SO SHE AN UNDERSTAND THEM! LOL...
I started ou with 50 worms from Petsmart that I forgot to put back in the fridge
When my first "droids" (I call them this because they are just freaky lookin!) or pre-beetle stage mealies came around from not being kept cold I thought I would give it a shot
SO I picked up 2 shoebox tubs from walmart. The small plastic bins with lids for shoes. Washed them really good and dried them. I then seperated 'worms' into one and "droids" into the other. This is also a good time to remove any dead, black worms out of your batch. I dont even mix in the store substrate into what I mix together. I pick each worm out seperately.
In my handy chopper I ground up OLD FASHIONED Oatmeal. Not that quick cook business I also tossed in some corn meal (no more than half a cup to a cup here.) and let that re-grind to. Since I knew I would be feeding these to Draegan I went ahead and ground up some cichlid flakes and pellets, about 1/2 a cup fully ground. I used about 5 cups of the cornmeal and oatmeal mixture in my tubs. Enough to give burrowing room for worms and beetles alike (about an inch and a half deep) You want the oatmeal to be about cornmeal consistancy. Now you add worms and wait You will probably want to start out with 2-50 packs. I feed Drae off and on with the ones that have not turned into beetles or droids yet.
I pick through my worms daily to remov any dead ones and shed shells. I also remove any 'droids' to the beetle box. Daily is not needed but I have no life so it amuses me...LOL... You can certainly do it when yu have time. Once a week would be good too. I currently have 8 beetles and about 30 droids
About 2 times a week I put potatoes into the worm and beetle boxes. Always be sure to remove the old potatoe I should tell you that keeping them warm/room temp will make them change faster. I will be putting my worms back in the fridge tonight.
GEESH! I feel like I hosted a cooking show! I will take pics tonight and post them BV.
I started ou with 50 worms from Petsmart that I forgot to put back in the fridge
When my first "droids" (I call them this because they are just freaky lookin!) or pre-beetle stage mealies came around from not being kept cold I thought I would give it a shot
SO I picked up 2 shoebox tubs from walmart. The small plastic bins with lids for shoes. Washed them really good and dried them. I then seperated 'worms' into one and "droids" into the other. This is also a good time to remove any dead, black worms out of your batch. I dont even mix in the store substrate into what I mix together. I pick each worm out seperately.
In my handy chopper I ground up OLD FASHIONED Oatmeal. Not that quick cook business
I also tossed in some corn meal (no more than half a cup to a cup here.) and let that re-grind to. Since I knew I would be feeding these to Draegan I went ahead and ground up some cichlid flakes and pellets, about 1/2 a cup fully ground. I used about 5 cups of the cornmeal and oatmeal mixture in my tubs. Enough to give burrowing room for worms and beetles alike (about an inch and a half deep) You want the oatmeal to be about cornmeal consistancy. Now you add worms and wait You will probably want to start out with 2-50 packs. I feed Drae off and on with the ones that have not turned into beetles or droids yet. I pick through my worms daily to remov any dead ones and shed shells. I also remove any 'droids' to the beetle box. Daily is not needed but I have no life so it amuses me...LOL... You can certainly do it when yu have time. Once a week would be good too. I currently have 8 beetles and about 30 droids
About 2 times a week I put potatoes into the worm and beetle boxes. Always be sure to remove the old potatoe
I should tell you that keeping them warm/room temp will make them change faster. I will be putting my worms back in the fridge tonight. GEESH! I feel like I hosted a cooking show! I will take pics tonight and post them BV.
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Wow, you're the mealworm chef! lol
Few questions...
So basically you use equal amounts of old-fashioned oatmeal and cornmeal (is putting it in a coffee grinder okay?) in such a way that it fills-up whatever container you're using by about an inch or two, right?
I'm assuming you use lids on these containers...do they need to have holes in the top?
How much potatoes do you use? Are they really necessary?
Last question...
How long does each container 'run' with whatever you've got in there? I mean, other than sifting out any dead worms, do you need to do anything else? They feed off of the oatmeal/cornmeal, right? Do you just replace it when you see the level going down, or does routinely adding potatoes take care of everything?
Lol...I'm assuming the mixture can't run indefinitely as-is without replenishing the oatmeal/cornmeal, can it?
Thanks!
BV
Few questions...
So basically you use equal amounts of old-fashioned oatmeal and cornmeal (is putting it in a coffee grinder okay?) in such a way that it fills-up whatever container you're using by about an inch or two, right?
I'm assuming you use lids on these containers...do they need to have holes in the top?
How much potatoes do you use? Are they really necessary?
Last question...
How long does each container 'run' with whatever you've got in there? I mean, other than sifting out any dead worms, do you need to do anything else? They feed off of the oatmeal/cornmeal, right? Do you just replace it when you see the level going down, or does routinely adding potatoes take care of everything?
Lol...I'm assuming the mixture can't run indefinitely as-is without replenishing the oatmeal/cornmeal, can it?
Thanks!
BV
LOL. I just add in about a cup of oatmeal a week. I actually use 1 cup corn meal to every 4 of Oatmeal. When I 'top off' I use oatmeal only and sprinkle some crunched up flake food into it. A blender works well for this Set it to grind and away you go! No, It cant run forever but I really don't notice the levels going down. I just add fresh substrate once a week or so because who likes to live in the same old stuff day in and day out? lol.
The potatoes are A must. That is how your worms get part of their dietary needs and their moisture Oatmeal is dry stuff! LOL I use one small/medium potato every time I add in a potatoe. I just cut it into 1/4s and tuck it into the substrate.
Nope.. I don't poke any holes in the lids or do anything but sift out the dead worms and droids. I add in the flake foods and pellets as sort of a gut loading proceess. The better your woems eat... The better your Oscar eats!
Set it to grind and away you go! No, It cant run forever but I really don't notice the levels going down. I just add fresh substrate once a week or so because who likes to live in the same old stuff day in and day out? lol. The potatoes are A must. That is how your worms get part of their dietary needs and their moisture
Oatmeal is dry stuff! LOL I use one small/medium potato every time I add in a potatoe. I just cut it into 1/4s and tuck it into the substrate.Nope.. I don't poke any holes in the lids or do anything but sift out the dead worms and droids. I add in the flake foods and pellets as sort of a gut loading proceess. The better your woems eat... The better your Oscar eats!
He looks like a 'wild' or 'common' oscar They hold their green coloring and the tans. Some may or may not get the orange coloring. Feeding blood worms and other color enhancing foods will encourage the orange to be more noticeable
Drae is a BRAT!!! Let me tell ya! lol... He has started hiting the glass tops of the aquarium at like 3am wanting to be fed! And if you dont feed him.. He keeps on until you do! such a demanding creature!
They hold their green coloring and the tans. Some may or may not get the orange coloring. Feeding blood worms and other color enhancing foods will encourage the orange to be more noticeable Drae is a BRAT!!! Let me tell ya! lol... He has started hiting the glass tops of the aquarium at like 3am wanting to be fed! And if you dont feed him.. He keeps on until you do! such a demanding creature!
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I love the coloring on both of your oscars!
Drae has much better coloration, IMO, than most of the red oscars you see...less red and more 'pinkish/purplish' (at least from what I can tell by the pics I've seen). *thumbsups Not to knock Triton or anything, but I gotta say that little Meaty looks like he/she will turn out to be just like the oscar I've always wanted, lol. I love the coloring on the 'common' oscars---especially like the ones in the pics you posted of TFG's 'green tigers' or whatever you wanna call them. Lol...that sounds mean to Triton, doesn't it? Oh well. I still love him and, besides, we don't know how they'll end up looking once they get bigger---I'm sure they'll change a lot!
Haha...that's hilarious!
I hope he doesn't hurt himself when he does that though.
BV
Drae has much better coloration, IMO, than most of the red oscars you see...less red and more 'pinkish/purplish' (at least from what I can tell by the pics I've seen). *thumbsups Not to knock Triton or anything, but I gotta say that little Meaty looks like he/she will turn out to be just like the oscar I've always wanted, lol. I love the coloring on the 'common' oscars---especially like the ones in the pics you posted of TFG's 'green tigers' or whatever you wanna call them. Lol...that sounds mean to Triton, doesn't it? Oh well.
I still love him and, besides, we don't know how they'll end up looking once they get bigger---I'm sure they'll change a lot!Haha...that's hilarious!
I hope he doesn't hurt himself when he does that though.
BV
Haha Nah, He doesn't hit it that hard.. Just bumps it and scares me to death!!
BV, You are right. Both of your O's will change as they get older. Some change very little, while some change a whole lot. Drae has done some changing. He was 'spotted' when I brought him home now he is pink/orange/green/black a good portion of the time. Callyx, on the other hand hasn't changed one bit in the 2 months I have had him. His colors are darkening but that is about it.
BV, You are right. Both of your O's will change as they get older. Some change very little, while some change a whole lot. Drae has done some changing. He was 'spotted' when I brought him home now he is pink/orange/green/black a good portion of the time. Callyx, on the other hand hasn't changed one bit in the 2 months I have had him. His colors are darkening but that is about it.
i'm getting excited reading these threads...
because it looks like we'll be getting an oscar! *dances* we're going to get one for my dad's birthday next month (even though it'll be just as much a present for me, hehe).. or at least that's the plan!
i think i'm going to commandeer my sister's 10 gallon tank and set it up for a pair of cons, similar to what BV is doing, and use the babies as feeders.
sorry to thread-jack, just had to share my exciting news!!
because it looks like we'll be getting an oscar! *dances* we're going to get one for my dad's birthday next month (even though it'll be just as much a present for me, hehe).. or at least that's the plan!
i think i'm going to commandeer my sister's 10 gallon tank and set it up for a pair of cons, similar to what BV is doing, and use the babies as feeders.
sorry to thread-jack, just had to share my exciting news!!
That's cool, Jessey.
What size of tank do you have planned? I'd go with a 75 gal. or larger if you can swing it. If not, 55 gal. is okay...not ideal for an adult-sized oscar, but doable. As for the cons in the 10 gal., I'd ultimately aim for a small, compatible pair in such a small tank. Let them pair on their own, yada, yada, and then pull out the rest. Good luck, and keep us posted!
BV
What size of tank do you have planned? I'd go with a 75 gal. or larger if you can swing it. If not, 55 gal. is okay...not ideal for an adult-sized oscar, but doable. As for the cons in the 10 gal., I'd ultimately aim for a small, compatible pair in such a small tank. Let them pair on their own, yada, yada, and then pull out the rest. Good luck, and keep us posted!
BV
LOL BV
Thanks alot, I mean with my other Oscars I was happy with them, but with Meaty...he's just somethin really special
And MissDixie, I REALLY hope you are right, I just love the green tiger oscars, or wilds, or commons, or whatever you want to call them. IMO, they look more "natural" then reds, albinos, lutinos or red tigers. I mean, all those other oscars look FANTASTIC, they are what initially got me into oscars, but greens, and commons are where my heart is
Oh yeah, I think that since this thread is on page 8, we should just make it the "Oscar Thread" or whatever Soo Jesse, feel free to "hijack" away!
Thanks alot, I mean with my other Oscars I was happy with them, but with Meaty...he's just somethin really special
And MissDixie, I REALLY hope you are right, I just love the green tiger oscars, or wilds, or commons, or whatever you want to call them. IMO, they look more "natural" then reds, albinos, lutinos or red tigers. I mean, all those other oscars look FANTASTIC, they are what initially got me into oscars, but greens, and commons are where my heart is
Oh yeah, I think that since this thread is on page 8, we should just make it the "Oscar Thread" or whatever
Soo Jesse, feel free to "hijack" away!
Remember that 'feeders' are treats only. Once a week TOPS and not many when you do feed them! So breeding cons to be 'feeders' isnt a good way to do population control You need to have a back-up method to control your population of cons.
90% of the food you feed needs to be a good quality cichlid pellet. Hikiri Bio-Gold, Hikiri Gold, and Hikiri Staple are all great. Some people also like to feed New Life Spectrum. The other 10% can be made up of feeders, bugs, worms shrimp or whatever you want to offer.
You need to have a back-up method to control your population of cons.90% of the food you feed needs to be a good quality cichlid pellet. Hikiri Bio-Gold, Hikiri Gold, and Hikiri Staple are all great. Some people also like to feed New Life Spectrum. The other 10% can be made up of feeders, bugs, worms shrimp or whatever you want to offer.