The free-living

nematode The nematodes ( or grc-gre, Νηματώδη; la, Nematoda) or roundworms constitute the phylum Nematoda (also called Nemathelminthes), with plant-Parasitism, parasitic nematodes also known as eelworms. They are a diverse animal phylum inhab ...

''Panagrellus redivivus'' (sour paste nematode, or beer mat nematode from its occurrence in constantly moist felt beer mats), is known to many aquarium enthusiasts and fish keepers as the microworm. It is a tiny roundworm used as the first food for larger kinds of newly-hatched fish, such as larval

common carp The Eurasian carp or European carp (''Cyprinus carpio''), widely known as the common carp, is a widespread freshwater fish of eutrophic waters in lakes and large rivers in Europe and Asia.Fishbase''Cyprinus carpio'' Linnaeus, 1758/ref>Arkive The ...

. The microworm is widely used in

aquaculture Aquaculture (less commonly spelled aquiculture), also known as aquafarming, is the controlled cultivation ("farming") of aquatic organisms such as fish, crustaceans, mollusks, algae and other organisms of value such as aquatic plants (e.g. lot ...

as food for a variety of fish and crustacean species. One of thirteen currently recognized species of ''Panagrellus'', ''P. redivivus'' is about 50 μm in diameter and just over 1 mm in length, barely visible to the naked eye. Subsisting on

yeast Yeasts are eukaryotic, single-celled microorganisms classified as members of the fungus kingdom. The first yeast originated hundreds of millions of years ago, and at least 1,500 species are currently recognized. They are estimated to constitut ...

, it is easily cultured at home on a substrate of

flour Flour is a powder made by grinding raw grains, roots, beans, nuts, or seeds. Flours are used to make many different foods. Cereal flour, particularly wheat flour, is the main ingredient of bread, which is a staple food for many culture ...

paste or

porridge Porridge is a food made by heating or boiling ground, crushed or chopped starchy plants, typically grain, in milk or water. It is often cooked or served with added flavourings such as sugar, honey, (dried) fruit or syrup to make a sweet cereal, ...

inoculated with dry yeast.Worm Culture Information
/ref> Females reach maturity in about three days and deliver live young rather than eggs, as most nematodes produce. The microworm has been used in

genetic analysis Genetic analysis is the overall process of studying and researching in fields of science that involve genetics and molecular biology. There are a number of applications that are developed from this research, and these are also considered parts of ...

studies, but not nearly as universally as its relative, ''

Caenorhabditis elegans ''Caenorhabditis elegans'' () is a free-living transparent nematode about 1 mm in length that lives in temperate soil environments. It is the type species of its genus. The name is a blend of the Greek ''caeno-'' (recent), ''rhabditis'' (ro ...

''. In Vietnamese cuisine, using lactic fermented by yeast rice (cơm mẻ), which contains microworm (con mẻ), to make the sourness of dishes is common.

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{{Taxonbar, from=Q7129875 Rhabditida Pet foods Nematodes described in 1767 Taxa named by Carl Linnaeus

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