| Q:
My roommate is really squeamish so for his sake I can't use
microworms, so do you think my fry will make it off of a diet of
only BBS? And, Assuming that I do only feed BBS, like will I have to
have two hatcheries running, or will one be enough to harvest a two
time a day feeding from? Thanks Are male bettas happier living alone?
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| A: Ah
the lovely scent of putrid milk and rotting oatmeal in the
morning... Smells like roses to me ;)!
Yes, some people don't like the smell of microworms. I got so used to it, I don't even notice it anymore. Microworms are still (in my book) best fry food, so maybe you should consider kicking your roommate out? LOL. Or perhaps you can feed your fry when he is not around? You can cover the toper wear containing the culture with a light piece of fabric that will hide them to his (ever so sensitive) eyes. It's true that microworm cultures look (and smell) like puke LOL. I have had a client email me in a panic once cause his wife had tossed the culture out, thinking it was Chinese food that had gone (very) bad. LOL!!!!! This is NOT a joke. Meanwhile his fry were starving. Or maybe we need to make a real man out of your roommate? How about you put a sign on the culture that reads: "REAL MEN EAT MICROWORM CULTURES" :))))) If you really really cannot keep the culture around and if you really really care for your roommate THAT much ;), then this is what you should do:
| set-up and add eggs to hatchery
#1, then the next day to hatchery #2
| Do not hatch too much eggs at
one time. Hatch only enough to feed two small feedings.
| BBS are most nutritious the
first 24 hrs after they have hatched. One batch can feed the fry
twice that day and they BBS are still within the 24 hrs old age
range.
| BBS hatch speed will vary
greatly depending on ambient temps (the colder it is the longer it
takes), and also depending on water (if you get the perfect bal
of salt and water they will hatch more and faster). So one
hatchery may not have enough time to hatch a new batch of BBS in
24 hrs, let alone overnight.
| This is when the second
hatchery comes in handy. You use one one day, the other the next
and keep alternating. Your BBS will always be ready when you
need them. Hatch small portions daily, and if it takes one more
than 24 hrs to produce BBS, you have the other to use. Otherwise
your fry will go hungry: it is possible for BBS to take up to 3
days to hatch! So with just one hatchery you would be in
trouble.
| less eggs = faster hatch time.
Too much eggs can also cause death of BBS and fouling of water.
| sometimes the BBS will die and
if so you have the second one to save you (even if a day later)
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Last but not least, NEVER EVER overfeed with BBS. This will cause most of your fine bettas to go belly sliding and most will NOT recover. Hence the above advice to hatch only "small portions". Do not allow you fry to eat so much that they look like balls with fins. You will be sorry of you do. It is OK for the fry to occasionally skip a meal if you have problems with the BBS hatching. I still think you should keep a microworm culture hidden somewhere, just in case. Only use it if you need it (ex: your BBS did not hatch, the cat spills both your hatcheries, your ex-wife has the sheriff repossess all your stuff, including the hatcheries, and other annoying slight set-backs inherent to life ;) ). You roommate does not need to stick his nose in and inhale your microworm culture!!!! LOL. And covered with a bandana or something, it can be disguised to look quite attractive. Make sure to air the little wormies once a day and they will last like, 'forever' and stand bye in case you should need them. If your topperwear is sealed I don't see how any smell could come out of it. No see, no smell, no harm done :). You could always take it to the bathroom with you to air it for 3 seconds daily, so the sour smell will stay behind closed doors. I am sure worst smells have on occasion floated about in there ;). LOL. (did I just type this on the worldwide web? Oh boy Oh boy...) OK, enough nonsense, I have spoken. PS: If you do not have a good sense of humor, I do not recommend you read this column. Stick with the stock exchange section of the Time instead :).
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