Nome popular: Enquitréia

Nome científico: Enchytraeus albidus

This is a white worm, Enchytraea are annelids commonly cultivated as a form of live food for fish and other animals such as amphibians (salamanders, for example) mainly due to their high protein content, but they are also rich in fat, so they should be used with discretion.
This worm survives in water for a short time, so it should be given to the fish in small portions so that they do not hide in the substrate, polluting the water when they die. Rich in vitamins A, D and E, in addition to being a great source of proteins and minerals, Enchytraea is a great alternative in the diet of ornamental fish, as long as the aquarist is careful with its high fat content, not offering it to the fish more than three times a week. For the fry, this rule can be changed to daily, but not as the only food.
Many growers use Architraea to help the fish reproduce, since they leave them in good condition for spawning.
Enchytraea culture care.
In order to have consistent reproduction, it is necessary to understand how the culture parameters of the earthworms work, such as humidity and soil pH. Steps Prepare the culture media by sterilizing and adjusting the soil pH. You can sterilize it by letting the soil dry in the sun and try to keep the pH in the range of 6.8 to 7.2 (keep in mind that below 5 they will not survive and above 8 they will not be able to reproduce properly). Spread the soil evenly in the culture container (shallow, lower boxes are ideal). If possible, use organic soil without chemical additives, since the earthworms are sensitive to toxic substances. Avoid very sandy or clayey soil, since it will not provide adequate aeration. Add water to keep the soil moist, but never soaked! Add the starter culture (you can find them in stores specializing in aquariums). Add some food source (e.g. bread with yogurt, oatmeal, moistened cat food or mashed potatoes, etc.), but remember to remove what is not eaten within 3 days and replace with new food.

Cover the culture with a lid (usually a glass plate is used), but one that allows some air to come in and out, i.e. do not use an airtight lid.

Place the culture in a cool, dark place. The ideal temperature is between 14 and 20°C; above this temperature, production will decrease. Therefore, cool, dark places are the best environments for this type of culture. However, very hot or very cold temperatures have killed the enchytraea, so try to keep it around 18°C.Now the culture should be monitored regularly, checking that it is not drying out and that there is enough food.Note: Enchytraea can also be grown without soil, using a sponge as an alternative culture medium. However, it must be monitored constantly to prevent it from drying out.

Attention: It is very important to keep the soil moist, because if it becomes dry, the entire crop may fail! However, remember that it cannot be too moist, because this will make the environment anaerobic and cause failures. Therefore, try to maintain the balance as much as possible, moist and aerated.

How to harvest erichtraea?

If your culture is being maintained correctly, the erichtraea will have created a mass in the soil and will stick to the lid or to a glass or acrylic plate that should be placed on top of the soil, where you can easily remove them and offer them to the fish with the help of a toothpick or tweezers.

Attention: Do not harvest the cultures before completing at least 1 month.

The size of the culture and the reproduction rate will determine how often the erichtraea should be re-cultivated. When the soil begins to darken, it is a good indication to re-cultivate.

Enchytraea in good cultivation conditions can reproduce quickly, as they are hermaphrodites.