Which Worm is Right for You? European Nightcrawler...
So the ENC, European nightcrawler, or Eisenia hortensis is my favorite bait worm. They grow very large compared to the red wigglers and blue worms not only in length but also in thickness getting to the size of a pencil. They also have thicker skin which makes it easier to keep on the hook. Toss in the fact that they can survive for 30 minutes to an hour in brackish water and you have yourself a fantastic bait worm. The ENC is not only a bait worm though they are also a good composting worm. In my opinion they compost slower then red wigglers, blue worms and African night crawlers but are still a good composting worm and a great dual use worm for bait.
They survive well in fluctuating temperatures and don't need to be refrigerated like the larger Canadian nightcrawlers do but can survive colder temps unlike the African night crawler and you can find these at bait shops and Walmart sometimes being called super reds.
Along with eating less they also reproduce slower then the other composting worms at one to two babies a week and take around thirteen weeks to become sexually mature.
If you looking for a great bait worm that at will also produce castings for your garden then the European night crawler is for you especially if you are in an area that has temperature fluctuations.
I was considering as using them mainly for compost worms as a replacement of reds and blues. But you know, once you have blues and reds in another system, sooner or later you will get some invasion lol.
I have not had a problem with my blues leaving and getting into my other bins. I have my main blue bin in the urban worm bag though which is quickly becoming my favorite system I wish could get them like 4 times bigger. I have a few other tote bins of blues but I have not found any in any of my other bins and they are stacked very close together. I did find a few dried up blues on the floor last big storm though so you are correct it is bound to happen at some point. I love my Euros but they did not do well in my CFT bins and I have them now in a bunch of 55 gal aquariums and totes.