AHA I got it to work.
Each whois server has its own flags that can be used. For example if you use 'whois -h whois.arin.net ...' you can use -- to seperate whois server switches from the whois command itself.
Typing whois -h
www.arin.net -- -? gave me a list of switches accepted by the whois server.
So i typed this:
whois -h whois.arin.net -- + z 2001:4978:12e:a::1
Which produced: ( and the Daily Test liked this output

)
[Querying whois.arin.net]
[whois.arin.net]
#
# The following results may also be obtained via:
#
http://whois.arin.net/rest/nets;q=2001:4978:12e:a::1?showDetails=true&showARIN=false#
# start
NetRange: 2001:4978:: - 2001:4978:FFFF:FFFF:FFFF:FFFF:FFFF:FFFF
CIDR: 2001:4978::/32
OriginAS:
NetName: YOURORG-NB6-AR-1
NetHandle: NET6-2001-4978-1
Parent: NET6-2001-4800-0
NetType: Direct Allocation
NameServer: NS4.YOUR.ORG
NameServer: NS1.YOUR.ORG
NameServer: NS3.YOUR.ORG
NameServer: NS2.YOUR.ORG
RegDate: 2005-10-20
Updated: 2005-10-20
Ref: http://whois.arin.net/rest/net/NET6-2001-4978-1
OrgName: YOUR.ORG, INC.
OrgId: YOURO
Address: 840 W Lake St #406
City: Roselle
StateProv: IL
PostalCode: 60172
Country: US
RegDate: 2002-12-18
Updated: 2005-10-12
Ref: http://whois.arin.net/rest/org/YOURO
OrgTechHandle: KDA6-ARIN
OrgTechName: Day, Kevin
OrgTechPhone: +1-312-884-7618
OrgTechEmail:
noc@your.orgOrgTechRef: http://whois.arin.net/rest/poc/KDA6-ARIN
RAbuseHandle: KDA6-ARIN
RAbuseName: Day, Kevin
RAbusePhone: +1-312-884-7618
RAbuseEmail:
noc@your.orgRAbuseRef: http://whois.arin.net/rest/poc/KDA6-ARIN
RNOCHandle: KDA6-ARIN
RNOCName: Day, Kevin
RNOCPhone: +1-312-884-7618
RNOCEmail:
noc@your.orgRNOCRef: http://whois.arin.net/rest/poc/KDA6-ARIN
RTechHandle: KDA6-ARIN
RTechName: Day, Kevin
RTechPhone: +1-312-884-7618
RTechEmail:
noc@your.orgRTechRef: http://whois.arin.net/rest/poc/KDA6-ARIN
# end
# start
NetRange: 2001:4978:100:: - 2001:4978:1FF:FFFF:FFFF:FFFF:FFFF:FFFF
CIDR: 2001:4978:100::/40
OriginAS: AS19255
NetName: SIXXS-USCHI02-SUBNETS
NetHandle: NET6-2001-4978-100-1
Parent: NET6-2001-4978-1
NetType: Reassigned
Comment: SixXS allocation for Your.org Chicago,IL PoP - This allocation is used for /48 subnets. - For more details, query whois.sixxs.net - More information can be found at
http://www.sixxs.net/ - Abuse reports should go to
abuse@sixxs.netRegDate: 2007-10-30
Updated: 2007-10-30
Ref: http://whois.arin.net/rest/net/NET6-2001-4978-100-1
OrgName: SixXS
OrgId: SIXXS-1
Address: Kelvinstraat 63
City: Ede
StateProv: Utrecht
PostalCode: 6716 BV
Country: NL
RegDate: 2007-10-30
Updated: 2007-10-30
Ref: http://whois.arin.net/rest/org/SIXXS-1
OrgTechHandle: STRA1-ARIN
OrgTechName: SixXS Technical Role Account
OrgTechPhone: +31 318 648688
OrgTechEmail:
info@sixxs.netOrgTechRef: http://whois.arin.net/rest/poc/STRA1-ARIN
# end