Fruit flies part 4: Regime to maximise fly production

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:

1. The present generation of adult flies - laying eggs for future generations (3-4 vials - top shelf of picture)
2. Vials containing chrysalised larvae, and newly emerged flies. (10-20 vials - middle shelf of picture)
3. 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

Fruit Fly Culture (Large Fruit Fly: D. hydei) - 32oz

Shullsburg, Wisconsin, 535**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

$10

Looking for a reliable and nutritious feeder insect for your dart frogs, fish, mantids, or juvenile reptiles? Our D. hydei Fruit Fly Cultures are the perfect solution! These small, flightless fruit flies can be easily produced at home offering a continuous supply for 30-50 days!
Product Features:
Species: Drosophila Hydei (D. hydei) Fruit FliesPerfect for: Dart frogs, fish, mantids, juvenile reptiles, and other insectivoresCulture Lifespan: Each culture typically produces fruit flies for ... more

Instant Fruit Fly Medium (Drosophila melanogaster and hydei diet)

New York, 100**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

$30

Instant Fruit Fly Medium(Drosophila melanogaster and D hydei diet)
This premium instant Fruit Fly Medium is a nutrient-rich blend formulated to support the optimal growth and reproduction of fruit flies. Featuring beet root, this medium provides a vibrant and nutritious environment for both Drosophila melanogaster and Drosophila hydei species. Enhanced with essential vitamins and minerals, it ensures your fruit fly cultures thrive, producing healthy, nutrient-packed flies for feeding ... more

Melanogaster (Turkish Glider) LIVE Fruit Fly Culture (retail)

San Diego, California, 921**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

$10

Buy Drosophila melanogaster (Turkish Glider) Fruit Fly Cultures - Premium Feeder Insects for Reptiles & Amphibians
Enhance your pet’s diet with the exceptional nutrition of Drosophila melanogaster (Turkish Glider) fruit fly cultures. This unique strain, known for its gliding movement and high nutritional value, is an ideal feeder insect for small reptiles, amphibians, and other insectivores. Whether you’re feeding dart frogs, baby chameleons, or mantises, the Turkish Glider fruit... more

Flightless Fruit Fly - Drosophila Melanogaster Culture - Super Loaded Colony

Aptos, California, 950**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

$23

Drosophila Melanogaster
This listing is for Flightless Fruit Fly - Drosophila Melanogaster Culture - Super Loaded Colony
These Cultures will be loaded with flies and fresh made within a day of shipping. Spend less time waiting for them to breed, feed them off right away, leave at least half remaining and you will have thousands of more flies in about a week!
These fruit flies serve as a good food source to small animals such as young spiders and scorpions small reptiles and other ... more

Fruit Fly Culture Turkish Glider 3 Pack Lizard And Dart Frog Food Live

Dover, Pennsylvania, 173**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

$28

32 oz Drosophila Melanogaster "Turkish Glider" Fruit Fly Culture 3-Pack
Our Fruit Flies are made with Repashy
Turkish Glider Melanogaster are the smallest size of fruit flies at 1 / 16 "
Turkish Glider Melanogaster are a winged and slightly darker than the Golden Wingless Melanogaster
This winged form of melanogaster can 'glide' short distances making for a more active feeder enticing even the pickiest of eaters
Turkish Gliders produce fast and consistently with ... more