Typical Drosophila vials. Keeping flies over damp paper in a dedicated cabinet helps maintain humidity, and prevents contamination from wild flies.
Why a regime?
Looking after Drosophila is quite easy when you get the hang of it. When cultures crash it's usually because they were left unattended for too long. The life span (just like the development time) is temperature dependent, and does not much exceed 2 weeks as a fly. It is critical to follow a careful regime to allow maximum production. This can take a few minutes each week and that's it. HOWEVER, miss a week and your yield will be drop, miss 2 and you may well loose your cultures! If flies are left too long over old media, they will also starve, and provide a poor snack for the fish. If you can not attend to the flies, its best to keep them cool, slowing down their life cycle (20 deg C) until you can tend to them again.
In general flies should be kept at around 25-28 degrees C. This provides a quick turnover of flies for feeding and allows a weekly regime to be followed. They also like a relatively high humidity; If yours are not kept in a humid room, consider keeping the vials in half a centimeter of water.
So how does the regime work?
The vials that the flies inhabit are separated into 3 categories:
- The present generation of adult flies - laying eggs for future generations (3-4 vials - top shelf of picture)
- Vials containing chrysalised larvae, and newly emerged flies. (10-20 vials - middle shelf of picture)
- Flies or larvae for feeding fish (3-4 vials - bottom shelf of picture).
Once per week newly emerged flies are collected from 2. These are placed in fresh vials, and are designated 1, the present generation. After 3-4 days these flies are moved again, onto new media 3. The old vials (which are loaded with eggs or very young larvae) go back in 2, to make future generations. Once the week has passed, the flies making the present generation can be fed to your fish, and their vials may either go back into 2, or be left for a few days to provide larvae for feeding (see part 5 - feeding fish). Of course a new generation of adult flies is again collected from 2 at the same time.
In hot weather, and if things are going well, you will soon have a lot of flies. On the other hand, you may struggle to breed enough to satisfy your fish. But always avoid feeding newly emerged flies to your fish, even if you have no shortage of flies 'coming through'. Newly collected flies may well be hungry. It's always a good idea to place them over fresh media with added brewers yeast for 24 hours before feeding them to fish, ensuring they are plump and healthy before feeding to your killies.
There are many advantages of keeping to a strict regime such as this:
- Each vial will contain only flies/larvae of approximately the same age, resulting in eclosion (hatching of the adult fly) over a relatively short period. This reduces the time you have to hang onto older vials-making fly collection easier and lessening the chances of mold.
- The longer flies are kept on the same media, the more runny it becomes- if the flies are collected after a 3-4 days, it will still be quite solid. Runny media can drown flies, stick them down and goes everywhere when the jar is inverted.
- All flies will have reached sexual maturity and have reproduced before being fed.
Fruit fly cultures for sale
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Cleveland, Georgia, 305**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
$40
??PLEASE READ BEFORE PURCHASING??
(WHAT YOU RECEIVE)
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Name: "Golden" Drosophila hydei Fruit Flies
Sizes: Flies, Larva & Eggs
Count: 50+ (will produce prolifically)
Sex: M / F
WITH EXTREME TEMPS THERE WILL ONLY BE
LIVE ARRIVAL GUARANTEE WHEN UPGRADE TO
PRIORITY MAIL OR IN TEMPS BETWEEN 0 - 85F
COOL PACKS WILL BE ADDED IF NEEDED
(CULTURE ...
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Etters, Pennsylvania, 173**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
$25
The product is a Hydei fruit fly culture kit + 1 additional container of just-add-flies food designed for dart frogs and reptiles. Produced by the brand Crazy Frog Lady, this product provides a convenient and natural way to feed your pets. The fruit flies are a nutritious food source for many reptiles and amphibians, promoting healthy eating habits and reducing the need for processed diets. With this product, you can easily maintain a steady supply of live insects for your pets to enjoy
...
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Charleston, South Carolina, 294**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
$8
Our starter culture of flightless fruit flies are a perfect source of nutrition and protein, for many types of reptiles and snmall pets. Including praying, mantis, small lizards, spiders, frogs, amphibians and other insectivores
The culture contains live fruit flies that cannot fly, making them easier for your animals to catch
With this starter culture, you will be able to maintain a steady supply of fruit flies for weeks and months!
LAG ( refund only) ...
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San Diego, California, 921**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
$10
Looking for a smaller fruit fly culture package that's perfect for lighter needs? This 2-in-1 bundle is just what you need! Choose one culture of your choice, and we'll also include supplies to create a second culture whenever you-re ready
Key Features:
Easy-Feed Spouts: Includes 2 convenient spouts that can replace the black cap, giving you better control over the number of flies released. Interchangeable Caps: Use the ventilated cap for airflow swap it out for the easy-feed ...
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Vienna, Georgia, 310**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
$13
Due to winter months and cold temps, live arrival is voided without purchase of a heat pack! please be aware of this when purchasing. Live arrival voided during extreme temps. HEAT PACK OPTION AVAILABLE IF YOUR TEMPS WILL BE HIGH
Will have excelsior for surface area
DISCLAIMER: as we enter winter temps, there is a risk that cultures will not arrive alive or producing, because of this I have included a heat pack option. I will also be shipping priority VS first class so prices have ...
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