How to Breed Canadian Nightcrawlers

Canadian nightcrawlers are a type earthworm popular with fishermen and aquarists. Although they do not reproduce as rapidly as other types of nightcrawlers, such as the European nightcrawler and the African nightcrawler, their larger size makes them a popular choice for use as bait or fish food. With proper attention and patience, you can breed a small crop of Canadian nightcrawlers in your refrigerator to meet your personal fishing or aquarium needs.

Things You'll Need

  • Canadian nightcrawlers
  • Small plastic container with lid
  • Knife or drill
  • Gravel
  • Soil
  • Peat moss or rotted leaves
  • Bottled water
  • Leaf litter, grass clippings, chicken mash
  • Plate or small wooden plank
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Instructions

    • 1

      Find a suitable container for keeping the Canadian nightcrawlers. A plastic container the size of a shoebox with a lid is a good choice, and will sustain up to 50 nightcrawlers. Cut or drill several small holes into the lid to allow for ventilation.

    • 2

      Line the bottom of the plastic container with gravel to cover. Add soil to fill to within 2 to 3 inches of the top of the container. Soil from your yard or regular potting soil is fine, as long as it doesn't contain chemical additives. Mix in some sort of organic matter, such as peat moss or rotted leaves.

    • 3

      Sprinkle the soil with bottled water or rainwater. Add water until the soil is moist, but not soggy.

    • 4

      Place the Canadian nightcrawlers into the container. They will quickly burrow into the soil.

    • 5

      Keep the container in a refrigerator. Canadian nightcrawlers will not survive in temperatures above 65 degrees F. They are also light-sensitive, and prefer to be in the dark.

    • 6

      Feed the Canadian nightcrawlers a diet of leaf litter and grass clippings. You can also add chicken mash, fruit and vegetable peelings, stale bread and greens, such as broccoli or Swiss chard. Lay the food on top of the soil; do not mix it in.

    • 7

      Check on the Canadian nightcrawlers every two to three days. Remove old food and add new food. Moisten the soil if it feels dry.

    • 8

      To harvest the nightcrawlers, remove the soil from the shoebox and place it on a plate or wood plank. Remove the top layer of soil. The nightcrawlers will burrow deeper. Continue to remove layers of soil until all of the nightcrawlers are gathered on the plate or wood plank. Deposit them in a container, such as an empty metal can.

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