this may help on the fishing bait question. i breed euros they are easy to raise and make a much bigger bait. you may not be able to find the andrei because it said it is a cross and the fluid has a smell not good for fishing. Eisenia andrei
Common names: Tiger Worm, Red Tiger Worm, Red and Tiger crossbreed.
Colour: Deep red or purple with each segment lightly defined by a yellow band.
Length: 75mm full grown
Clitellum: Segments 26 - 32, raised all round.
Habitat: Under mulch and on the surface of soil.
Feeding habits: Rich, compost, decaying plant or animal matter.
Preferred temperature: 18 - 23 oC
Comments: Very active wigglers when exposed to sunlight. Worms exude coelemic fluid which smells unpleasant and are therefore not suitable for fishing bait.

Hmmm I have found some references online that say that coelomic fluid attracts fish. Now I am confused. Where did you find this info?

Here is one source I found. bottom righthand side on page 5. It is a pdf from County of Los Angeles Countywide Smart Gardening Program Department of Public Works.

Here is a link that might be useful: http://ladpw.org/epd/sg/tech_sheets/wc_info.pdf

I think it would be pretty hard to tell one way or the other if the coelembic fluid attracts fish or doesn't. If I had to guess, my guess is fish are attracted to it. I find more info saying it attracts vs. doesn't. If evolution works, fish should be attracted to creatures they can eat, and coelomic is released from food fish can eat so they should through evolution have a sensativity to it. That's my theory but it would really be hard to prove one way or the other. Coelomic fluid is not a defense mechanism. It's an aid to respiratory action so I would think it's in all worms. The only thing I was hinted about trying to find why andrei has it and fetida does not is that it does seem to be in all but their ability to hold it in is different. The andrei variety may be worse at holding it in so more gets released when fishing whereas the fetida variety better at preventing it from escaping. I'd take that with a grain of salt, the papers I read implied the release depended on the variety but didn't actually state it, nor that andrei is worse at holding it than fetida.

Everyone throws Eisenia andrea into their Eisenia fetida because they have the exact same properties (except perhaps the ability to retain the fluid or not and the stripes) and everyone with a worm bin is looking for the fetida variety. If you buy Eisenia fetida you may be fortunate and get all andrea instead. Eisenia andrea is sold as Eisenia fetida and you normally get both in your purchase. I haven't seen anyone who sells andrea and doesn't put it under the fetida name.

Thanks for the info. I had suspected that Eisenia andrei was being sold as or with Eisenia fetida. And the more I read seems to suggest that most worms exude coelomic fluid. Very interesting stuff.

Cape Cod Worm Farm seems to sell E. andrei, if I get that picture right. (I know little about worms).

Here is a link that might be useful: Cape Cod Worm Farm