Nightcrawler Culture Q.

[Fat Homer]

Not sure where to put this, so thought here would be as good a place as any...

Basically i have been searching high and low for earthworms with no luck so decided to give digging for them a try...
but before i do i just a few questions about earthworm cultures for all the MFK peeps...

I'm thinking of going digging for some in the garden thats in our building complex, and maybe another up the road if i can't find any in the one downstairs of mine...

But the question is, what type of soil should one use, i've read potting soil is fine, but is there any better than others?

Also how often should you feed them vegetable scraps, and any in particular that are better than others?

Last but not least, lets say if i find out that at some point pesticides or other nasties were used in the soil where i collected the original batch of nightcrawlers, will they ever be safe to feed to fish if so how long roughly? also would their off-spring also be potentially deadly?

I'm thinking of starting this culture for feeding some of my fish, and if i can get it going, help supply some of my friends who have herps and fish who also would benefit from having earthworms / night crawlers...

So any one who maybe has one going or knows any good links for info please let me know...

Thanks...

 

[davdev]

potting soil should be fine, just make sure it is the cheap stuff without any ferts.

As for contaminants, it would depend on what they have been exposed to and how much it bio-accumulates. I would stay far away from anything that may have had some mercury exposure, but I would think simple garden fertilizers should be negligible in a few weeks.

 

[jdhuegel1]

I've raised nightcrawlers for years. Potting soil, peatmoss, regular ol dirt, whatever. If you can, compost (eggshell, veggies, coffeegrounds etc) is awesome. Get a 5 gallon bucket with a lid (drill 5-6 small holes in it). At 12 inches of MOIST dirt; not wet, not dry. Add worms. Add food (aforementioned compost or cornmeal works). Cover with fine shredded newspaper and spray with water till damp. Cover. You'll be making worms in a week. Check every couple of days and keep the paper wet. Make sure you keep bucket in the basement or garage (cool and dark)

Best way to find starter worms: late at night or early in the morning when it's sprinkling or wet from dew. Walk around with a flashlight a foot or so off the ground. Grab them when you see em. Don't hold the light on them too long or they'll retreat.

 

[GrossGraphix]

go to wal mart and buy some. i have a colony of trout worms/red worms. Fillled continer with newspaper clippings. Dampened them fed them left over veggies like previously stated. They have ate all the news paper and thriving.

 

[davdev]

go to wal mart and buy some.

Uhm, he's in Hong Kong