Blackworm question

Every time I pick up a batch of blackworms (I can purchase a few tablespoons worth at a time), I have a problem with the water (in which I keep the worms) fouling quickly. I keep them in a small plastic container (uncovered) and just put in enough water to cover them. I find myself having to change the water every few hours because of the bad smell. Once the number of worms subsides, i find the problem lessens. When I first got my newts I know I was using too much water and that caused the water to foul. Now, I'm using very little and I still have the problem. Any suggestions?

Black worms can be tricky to maintain. They are very sensitive to warm conditions and I have found even the transport home in the car during the summer can cause them to start dying.
I used to purchase large batches (a pound) and attempted to maintain them in the refridge. I have found you need to keep them in a broad, flat shallow container with very little water (14x8x3 rubbermaid food storage, no lid). you have to check on them frequently to prevent drying out or freezing. Needless to say, I now buy smaller feedings and divide them into all the newt setups. My tank room temperatures never go over 72F degrees (lowest is 66F). The worms pretty much survive for weeks/months. The newts will feed on them for several days. I don't use a substrate (sand or gravel) in the bottom of my tanks, only large smooth stones and rocks. This will keep the worms exposed enough for easy capture. I will lift the stones periodically to exposed hidden worms. I even sometimes save the bottom sludge water after tank cleanings and water changes, to rinse out more worms. If you use gravel, I have placed a shallow dish on the bottom of the tank and fixed a worm dispenser above it, this slows down the migration of the worms into your gravel, giving the newts more time to feed.

Try separating them into smaller batches. I keep mine with about an inch of water in a large tupperware tub.

I keep up to an ounce in 1cm or so water in a refrigerator.

Thanks everyone!! I think I'll definitely separate them into smaller batches, I think there may be too many worms in the one container. I hate to admit, but I'm alittle hesitant to put them in my fridge....just something about worms and my food being in close proximity is.....meh.

You'll get used to it! There's really no other way to keep them alive for a long time.

Karen, something I do is keep the container in the vegetable drawer by itsself. It doesn't bother me...but I seem to recieve fewer "EWWW!"'s from my friends when the look in my fridge this way.

I remarked the other day about how used to having worms in the fridge I am. I sat some vegetables in the fridge to marinate, right ontop of my blackworm tub. I thought it was funny.

I had roommates that hated worms in the fridge, so, dishonest with them as I was, I just transfered them (dirt and all) into a large yogurt container. We were all pretty good about not stealing food so no one was the wiser!

ive found the smell is a lot better if i put paper towels in with them sometimes i think i drowned them damp paper towels helps them hang on. the dirty water part is soaked in the towels. if they are smelly after rinse them i dab them on dry towels before putting them in the water. my axies like the live ones which seem easier to find if they crawled on a towel

I have always kept my worms in the clear plastic bag that they came in, inside the refrigerator, with just a little water and I trap air in with them and then rubberband the top. I feed my newts every few days and before feeding I rinse the worms out with fresh water about three times. They seem to last quite a while happily, unless I don't rinse them with new water.