White Worms vs Grindal Worms

Hey all,

I'm starting up a white worm culture but I have recieved from two different people. One is a fish hobbyiest in Ottawa and the other is a local pet store here that asked me to try and save their cultures (as well as keeping whatever amount I wanted from them).

I haven't had a chance to actually compare them yet, but the ones from the pet store appear to be smaller then the inch length that I thought white worms were supposed to be.

So, does anyone know any good ways to distingush white worms from grindal worms? I work in the Chemistry department at my university but I didn't wnat to have to bring them in to analyze.

Also, what's everyones opinions about feeding their newts and salamanders white worms? I just fed mine some fruit flies the other day and my Cynops Orientalis loved them. My larger guys love my redworms and my mealworms from the cultures I have set up of those too. I'm hoping white worms will be as large of a success with my smaller species and young. (THey also sent me a little starter of vinegar eels and microworms so I could test those out with young as well)

Rob

I don't know how they look under the microscope. Grindals are quite a bit smaller and thinner than white worms though. You could try keeping them warm (25 degrees C / 74 F) and see if they die off or really like it - Grindals like higher temperatures.

White worms will decrease in size if they are kept in a cooler environment. They will become semi dormant and breed at a slower rate. If they are white worms they should increase in size fairly quickly when brought into a warmer environment. If after a couple of weeks there is no increase in size then they are most likley grindals. Grindals will also breed much faster than white worms and do better at higher temps.
Grindals and white worms should both be excellent for newts.
http://www.livinglunch.co.uk

I find that my white worms do best when kept in the original insect supply tubs with hessian on top-I then place a piece of (ideally) brown bread over the hessian- moisten this slightly and then replace the mesh lid. I keep this in contact with the whiteworm culture for just 12 -24 hours-before it has a chance to get mouldy and then feed the newts(orientalis juveniles largely). Thuis is probably more nutritious than white bread fed white worms.

Personally I feel whiteworms are more a treat and a useful live food supplemnet than a particularly nutritious food staple-bloodworms,fruitfly and waxworms seem more nutritious, Wax worms are possibly too fattening for continual feeding.