Keeping Ragworm

I've heard that it is possible to keep rag for quite some time in a fish tank full of seawater so long as you keep it aerated, keep the water cool and remove dead worms.

Does anyone know if this works? If so, for how long?

Thanks

We've held them for over three weeks in the fridge in plastic trays. Just enough water to cover the worms. Change the water every second day and remove the dead ones (the water will become coloured.). For shorter periods store them in a tub of vermiculite they will hold for a week easily with less work.

Jim.

Have kept them alive for weeks in a tank with a small filter. Id agree with Jim, they should last a good while in a fridge, just make sure to change the water pretty often

Hello Arthur.
This is the way I keep Rag worm. I have a small fish tank that fits into the bottom of my smallfridge. You want an aeriator with a stone on the bottom of the tube the sort thats used in a goldfish tank.
Put the firdge to max almost fill the tank with sea water. If the worms have been stored in anything, leave some sea water in the bucket and wash them before putting them in the tank. Put them in the tank torn on the air. Close the fridge door, they will last about a week without looking at them
your friend dingbat

have kept them for over a week in a tray of seawater. never tried to keep them longer as i usually end up using them on next trip. barely wet the bottom of whatever container you use. change water every day and remove dead ones (as the lads mentioned). this should not take longer than 2 min. of your time. i don't have regular access to the sea, and so i fill a two litre bottle of sea water for the water changes and it works fine. 10-20 worms to a tray makes things more manageable. maybe i'm wrong but it sems to be a better alternative to a tank. the last time myself and mates tanked them was disasterous (and very messy!). we had a huge barrel of seawater and an aerator. half of them died 2 days later!! but in saying that dingbat seems to be doing alright with the way he does it.

Dare not look in the boxes in my fridge - they've been there for 2 weeks now and I just knew there ould be a smelly mess in there. But......still alive!!!!! After 2 weeks in the funny muck they put in from Tallaght Rod & Gun, they are still kicking & biting!!! Fishing tomorrow, so I shall free them back into the sea - just to say sorry!.....but they will be on hooks! :twisted:

Thanks for the tips all.

to keep them really happy add sea weed to the tank. Take them out a day before use put them in new sea weed and wrap in news paper, this will redden them up.

As I said before once the fridge is turned up full and an air pumped into the water. there should be no bother. I have just started a friend of mine on to this and he has success.
Dingbat