Live food question

[madagascariensis]

I currently am trying to breed my panda cories, and so I also have a microworm culture going (it's my first go at live foods).
The problem is that I never seem to be able to get the moisture content right. First I got it too watery, then dry and then watery again. My current moisture content seems acceptable, with the oatmeal in a yoghurt-like consistency and a thin layer of water on top. The problem is, the water surface tends to develop a bacterial film that seems to inhibit microworms populating the area that is covered. How would I prevent this? is my culture a bit too wet?

[MeGusta_Fish]

may i suggest liquid fry food.. other than live ones.. i hear they are effective for baby fry

[korith]

For my microworm cultures I use a mashed potato mix. For a $1 can pick up a box of dry mash potato at the dollar store. I just use hot tap water and add it into a plastic container, add in enough mashed potato mix to make a paste, I guess moist but not runny. Sprinkle a bit of yeast on top. Wait until the mashed potato mix has cooled down, then add in a bit of your microworm culture to the top of it. Poke some holes in the container.

Oh the reason I use mashed potatoes is that it seems less smelly/stinky than oatmeal. If you've ever had a microworm culture get old and go bad, you know how bad that smell is

Another trick which I just learned last weekend when I was picking up some stuff from a local betta breeder, is he adds an indian almond leaf to the potato mash mix. The reason for that is he says it helps cut down on the smell. Even showed me a microworm culture he's had going since last summer, no bad smell at all! Apparently a lot of betta breeders in the area do this and one of the betta groups he's in recommends doing it.

[madagascariensis]

Really? I have heard that potatoes smell worse the oatmeal
Well, I tried draining my culture abit and now the worms seem to be covering every bit of the container. Guess it worked.

I am trying not to use prepared fry foods because of claims that they are ineffective(fry need things to move in order to perceive it as food), but then I have never used prepared fry foods myself so I simply am quoting what others have said.

[korith]

Really? I have heard that potatoes smell worse the oatmeal
Well, I tried draining my culture abit and now the worms seem to be covering every bit of the container. Guess it worked.

You can always put a bit of dry mashed potato or oatmeal mix to the container instead of draining water. Not enough to bury the microworms but just enough to soak up the excess liquid.

[madagascariensis]

An additional question now, assuming I would be on vacation for
5 weeks, could I put my grindal, redworm and microworm cultures in a fridge
to keep them from going bad? will it work and if yes, for how long will it stave off the inevitable?

And thanks for all the answers!