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White Worm
Enchytraeus albidus
Also known as White Worms, Whiteworm, Potworm, Enchytraeus albidus
📍 Cosmopolitan; originally native to temperate regions of Europe and North America, now found worldwide in moist soils
White worms are small, thread-like annelid worms about 2–3 cm (0.8–1.2 in) long, with a pale, almost translucent white body. They live in moist soil, not water: hobbyists keep them in a culture box outside the tank and feed them to fish, and in the aquarium they survive only a few hours until they're eaten. They're one of the richest live foods for fish, amphibians and other aquatic animals.
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Care Guide
Diet
White worms are detritivores cultured in moist soil and fed carbohydrate-rich foods such as bread soaked in water, oatmeal, mashed potato, or finely chopped vegetables. They thrive best on a varied diet offered in small amounts to prevent mold and culture crashes. Overfeeding should be avoided as decaying food fouls the culture medium rapidly.
Behavior
White worms live entirely within moist soil cultures and do not exhibit aquarium behavior in the traditional sense; they burrow through substrate consuming decaying organic matter. When introduced to the aquarium as food, they sink slowly and wriggle actively, triggering strong feeding responses from most fish and invertebrates. They are completely non-aggressive and interact with no other organisms beyond serving as prey.
Breeding
White worms reproduce readily in a box of moist peat or coconut coir kept cool, around 10–18 °C (50–64 °F). They are hermaphrodites that reproduce sexually, leaving small cocoons in the soil, and a well-fed culture grows quickly. Temperatures above about 20 °C (68 °F) slow breeding sharply and can crash a culture.
Tank Mates
See all 2 →Common Diseases
Culture Mold Collapse
White or green mold overtakes the soil surface; worm population declines rapidly or disappears
Remove moldy food immediately, reduce feeding quantity, improve ventilation in culture container, and transfer remaining worms to fresh moist substrate
Culture Overheating
Worm population crashes suddenly; worms congregate at surface or die off en masse during warm weather
Move culture to a cool location such as a basement or refrigerator set to 10-15°C; restart with survivors in fresh substrate
Mite Infestation
Tiny white or red mites visible throughout the culture medium competing with worms for food and stressing the colony
Allow culture to dry slightly to deter mites, transfer worms by floating them on water to separate them from mites, and restart in clean sterile substrate
Bacterial Sour Soil
Culture develops foul odor, soil becomes anaerobic and slimy, worm numbers decline
Reduce moisture levels, stop feeding temporarily, aerate the substrate gently, and transfer surviving worms to fresh culture medium
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Quick Facts
- diet
- Detritivore — bread, oatmeal, vegetable scraps
- lifespan
- 0.5-1 years
- max size
- 3 cm (1.2 in)
- tank size
- Soil culture box, not the tank
Water it likes
- temperature
- 50–64°F (10–18°C)
Legality
No state or federal restrictions on record for this species.
Not legal advice, and possibly incomplete or out of date. Rules vary by state and locality and change over time — always confirm the current regulations with your state wildlife or agriculture agency before buying, keeping, or shipping this species.