Fruit flies are an excellent food for many surface feeding killifish, closely resembling their natural diets in the wild. They are easy to culture, quickly, cheaply and in large numbers. Fruit flys are rarely available in pet shops, but are widely available online, and very much worth trying, even if you don't bother culturing them on an ongoing basis.
What is a fruit fly?
Fruit flies are small flies that live on and around decaying fruit and vegetation. They occur worldwide, except the very coldest regions. The species most familiar to scientists, aquarists and herpetologists are in the genus Drosophila which literally means 'dew-lover' in Greek. Also known as 'bar fly' or 'vinegar fly', these little flies are commonly found around waste bins, bars, orchards etc, and they are widely used in laboratories as research animals. The species we feed to our fish however, have been bred to have shorter 'vestigial' wings, and as such can not fly. These are typically from two species Drosophila melanogaster and Drosophila Hydei.
Why fruit flies?
Although dealing with highly mobile flies can be trickier than with worms, there are some great reasons to consider culturing them.
- Nutritious - all fish can be trained to eat flies, but surface feeders love them. Not only are they relished by the fish, but they also have a high fibre content, and are therefore a great contrast to the fattier foods such as worms and beef heart. They are also typically disease-free, unlike some aquatic livefoods.
- Prolific An adult fly can lay 20+ eggs in a day. Once you get the hang of it, fruit flies are easy to maintain, and at 25 deg. centigrade the development of Drosophila melanogaster takes just 9 days.
- Availability - unlike collected livefoods, cultured Drosophila are available all year round.
- Flightless flies available - fruit flies have been studied in laboratories for very many years, and a lot is known about the humble fruit fly. Over the course of these studies, geneticists line-bred many strains of fly, including vestigial-winged, and even wingless flies. These are the flies typically cultured by hobbiests.
Drosophila larvae in a typical culture
Drosophila larvae climb up the walls of their vials and chrysalise
Drosophila pupae
Drosophila life cycle
Adult flies lay a lot of eggs. A single female can lay over 20 eggs in a day, and can store sperm within her body for up to two weeks, to lay fertilized eggs at will.
Eggs take 23 hours to hatch at 25 deg C. Once they do hatch, the larvae bury into the media and grow. They will stay as larvae for five days, in which time they undergo three moults.
Eventually they will start to climb the sides of the vial, and when fully grown will settle near the top, and form a chrysalis. The change from maggot to fly takes around three days, but again, is temperature dependent.
The image to the right shows a newly formed chrysalis with the lava's segments still visible (1), an older chrysalis with the fly clearly visible. The red dots are its eyes (2) and an empty chrysalis from which a fly will have hatched (3).
Once the flies have emerged they must be moved to new vials, as there is now no food suitable for them in the old vials.
Fruit fly cultures for sale
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Saint Louis, Missouri, 631**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
$27
Fruit Fly & Drain Fly Killer - Simple Commercial Drain Gel Treatment ?? Eliminates Gross Fruit Flies, Drain Flies, Sewer Flies & Gnat Infestations From Any Drain. Fast & Easy
FAST ACTING & EASY TO USE ?? Simply Pour This Specially Formulated Gel Solution Down Any Sink Drain Or Floor Drain Where Fruit Flies and Drain Flies Breed. Works On The Worst Fruit Fly & Drain Fly Infestations. Can Be Used In Bars, Bathrooms, Homes, Hotels, Kitchens & Restaurants
HOW IT WORKS ...
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Phoenix, Arizona, 850**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
$71
FVOAI Fly Trap Indoor, Fruit Fly Catcher Mosquito Killer Insect Trap with Sticky Glue Boards(Black-Blue)HOME DESIGN
WELCOME
TO YOUR PERFECT
HOME
DETAILS
Tips for best results:
1 12 or more hours of running is suggested for an ideal effect
2 Close your windows and shut the doors
3 Put the trap in a dark place for the best trapping of insects
4. Place the trap near the insects-near the fruit, trash can, or plants
Product Specifications:
Power Required: 5WPower ...
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Dover, Pennsylvania, 173**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
$30
This Fruit Fly Culture HYDEI 3 Pack is perfect for feeding your Lizards and Dart Frogs. The live food is guaranteed to provide your pets with the necessary nutrients to keep them healthy and active. The pack is made from high-quality ingredients and is sure to satisfy your pet's appetite.
The brand, Crazy Frog Lady, is well-known for producing top-quality pet supplies. With this pack, you can be sure that your pets are getting the best possible food. This pack is ideal for reptile owners who...
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Cleveland, Ohio, 441**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
$30
Flightless Fruit Fly Cultures (40-50 flies included per cup!)
WE ARE ONLY ABLE TO OFFER LIVE ARRIVAL GUARNTEE WITH ORDERS SHIPPED VIA FEDEX 2DAY!
Flightless fruit flies (Drosophila hydei) are about ???? and are a great feeder for small lizards, spiders, mantids and frogs. Each culture will arrive with at least 40-50 live fruit flies
These are producing cultures that are about 2 weeks old. They will continue producing new flies for another two to three weeks. These are flightless fruit ...
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San Diego, California, 921**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
$10
Buy Drosophila melanogaster (Golden Delicious) Wingless Fruit Fly Cultures - Ideal Feeder Insects for Reptiles & Amphibians
Searching for the perfect live feeder insect for your small reptiles and amphibians? Our Drosophila melanogaster wingless fruit fly cultures are the top choice for feeding dart frogs, baby chameleons, mantises, and other small insectivores. These wingless fruit flies are easy to manage and provide a nutritious, protein-rich diet essential for your petâs health ...
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