How To Culture Banana Worms (Live Fish Food)

Banana Worms are an excellent option for small fish fry as they are the smallest worms. Small fish fry love Banana Worms, and they are the easiest to keep, which makes Banana Worms an even better option to culture at home.

Here, we will discuss exactly what you need to get started and ensure that you have all the live food for your fish fry.

Setting Up Your Banana Worm Container

I started using a clear plastic container, but my container didn’t have smooth sides, so harvesting was difficult. Make sure whichever container you choose has smooth sides to harvest your worms without hassles. I found it easier to use a shallow dish than a deep one. The lid you use should not seal the container entirely, as gas needs to escape. I am currently using a glass container, but the choice is yours.

I purchased my banana worm starter culture from my local pet store. When you buy yours, make sure that you ask what food they have been using for their starter. This will help your worms thrive better and ensure that you provide them with the best similar food.

Active dry yeast can be purchased at any local grocery store. It’s the same yeast used for baking bread. You will sprinkle this ingredient over the wet bread each time you give your worms their next meal.

When adding your bread to your container, it needs to be moist. You will need dechlorinated water; you can scoop some fish tank water to moisten the bread. Moisture is necessary for the yeast and sugar to ensure that all the elements that will allow the yeast to flourish are present.

You can use white or brown bread, whichever you have at home. This will be the base of the food source for your worms. You can cut the bread to fit your chosen container or use a container large enough to accommodate a slice.

Sprinkle white or brown sugar over the bread in your container. This helps the yeast activate and speed up fermentation, creating the perfect environment for the banana worms.

Choosing a spot in your home for the worms should be in a warmer area. I keep mine in my cupboard, where the house is slightly warmer. Many people keep their worm containers on top of their fridges. Ensure the spot you choose is warmer to encourage the yeast to activate.

The yeast needs a warmer environment. If it is not activated in a warmer environment, the yeast will not activate, and the worms will remain almost dormant.

How To Culture Banana Worms

Once you have all your items together, it is effortless to cultivate Banana Worms.

Start by moistening your bread with dechlorinated water. The bread should be wet, but water shouldn’t drip from it. I always squeeze the bread just a little to remove excess water. I have used tap water before to do this, but you risk killing your starter, so I would rather be safe than sorry.

Place the piece of white bread into your chosen container. Next, sprinkle the bread with your active dry yeast. I make a small cut in my yeast packet and use my finger to tap the sachet so a nice amount of yeast escapes over the entire bread. I lightly dust the surface of the bread with the yeast. There is no exact amount required.

In warmer months, you could possibly get away with using less yeast for dusting the bread, but typically, make sure it is “seasoned” enough.

Next, I sprinkle the sugar in the same way to lightly dust the entire slice of bread. I then take a chopstick and mash everything together to make a yeasty bread paste. Once everything is incorporated, I add the Banana Worms starter contents to the middle of the container, on top of the paste.

Once your starter has been running for a while and the next feeding is due, you don’t have to mash up the new bread; just place it over everything in the container.

Now, you lightly close the lid, closed enough for no other bugs to enter but open for gas to escape. I just place my lid over the container. You can now place your container in your chosen warm spot. It is best if the culture doesn’t get direct sunlight.

I sometimes find a little black midge or two in my mix, but I pick them out; it’s not the worst that can happen and won’t affect your Banana worm culture.

I keep my Microworms and Banana Worms mixed in one container. You can do this when your fish fry are a little bigger as microworms are larger than Banana Worms.

What Do I Feed My Banana Worms

Feeding your Banana Worms are just as easy as starting the culture. You will follow the same steps as culturing by wetting a new piece of bread, adding yeast and sugar, and adding it to the culture (on top).

You will know when your worms need more food when the number of worms you can harvest starts decreasing or the bread seems to have “melted” away.

Remember to mix the entire mixture each second or third time you feed to ensure that all the nutrients of your culture are adequately mixed. Stirring also helps increase the number of worms you can harvest. You will mix before placing the new food.

How To Harvest Banana Worms

I love using a cotton bud (Q-tip) to harvest my worms. Some people prefer using their fingers, but I’m not particularly eager to touch the worms, and I do not believe in having my fingers in the fish tank if it isn’t necessary.

When the worms move to the side of the glass or plastic container, they are ready for harvest. You then run your cotton bud or Q-tip over them; I swirl it over them to ensure I pick up more at a time.

I then dip my Q-tip into the fish tank water and swirl it around to ensure the worms are off. If I have to harvest more worms, I squeeze the excess water from my Q-tip before harvesting more worms so I don’t add water to the culture.

Squeezing the excess water from the Q-tip also helps harvest your next round of worms from the container, as I have noticed that the extra water makes it more difficult to pick up a lot of worms at a time.