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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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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Vienna, Georgia, 310**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
$5
Live arrival voided during extreme temps above 95 degrees HEAT PACK OPTION AVAILABLE IF YOUR TEMPS WILL BE low
Will have excelsior for surface area
DISCLAIMER: as we enter summer temps, there is a risk that cultures will not arrive alive or producing, because of this I have included a ice pack option.
wingless melanogaster 32oz Fruit Fly Culture .
producing will be about a week old Please order accordingly! Due to winter season, live guarantee is voided if left in mailbox or ...
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Porter, Texas, 773**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
$15
Fresh Golden Delicious Fruit Fly CultureSize: Golden Deliciousare small fruit flies, adults are about 3mm long
Each culture is started fresh in a 32 oz vented cup using our high-quality fruit fly media
a nutrient-rich blend designed to support strong fly production and extended culture life
Get the Best Savings with ERAWAN IMPORTS!
At Erawan Imports, we are dedicated to delivering the quality you expect
We pride ourselves on fast delivery and producing quality in quantity ...
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Dover, Pennsylvania, 173**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
$30
This package contains four cultures of Turkish Gliders Fruit Fly, perfect for feeding your pet reptiles, including dart frogs. These fruit flies are a delicious and nutritious food source that will keep your pets healthy and happy
Each culture contains a large number of fruit flies, ensuring that you will have enough food for your pets for a while. The package is designed for pet owners who are looking for a high-quality food source for their pets
...
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Dover, Pennsylvania, 173**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
$35
This Fruit Fly Culture 4Pack Variety is the perfect food for your pet reptiles. You'll receive live flightless fruit flies of different species, including Turkish Gliders, Golden, and Hydei. These fruit flies are bred by Crazy Frog Lady L L.C , a trusted brand in the pet supplies industry.
Use this variety pack to provide nutrition to your reptiles and keep them healthy. These live fruit flies are a great source of protein and are easy to digest. They also provide entertainment for your pets...
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