Killifish

Fruit flies, or Drosophila are an excellent food for most small fish, largely representing the natural killifish diet of invertebrates. Flies are the perfect food for surface dwelling fish species, but even killies from the lower strata, like Nothobranchius can be trained to eat them. Drosophila larvae are also a good food for killies, and although rarely a 'favourite' food, are an easy source of small food when worms are not available.

A Rivulus xiphidius eyes up a fruit fly
A Rivulus xiphidius eyes up a fruit fly

Feeding fruit fly larvae to killifish

Larvae of any size can be fed to killies to suit their needs. Lots of larvae can be scraped from the sides of their vial, and if a drip of water is added , the rest will make their way out of the media and up the sides. After this you can leave the remaining larvae to hatch turn into flies, or to be really thorough you can add the contents of the vial to a strong (3M) salt solution. The food dissolves away or sinks and the larvae will float, allowing them to be scooped out with a net, rinsed and fed. It is crucial not to over feed with Drosophila larvae, as they drown very quickly (1 hour or less) and although fish do eat them, they do not eat them with the same relish that they enjoy other insect larvae.

Nothobranchius virgatus feeding on Drosophila larvae
Nothobranchius virgatus Fula A Zarga SUD 98 feeding on Drosophila larvae
Cute fish look evil from above
Cute fish look evil from above

Feeding with flies

Simple throw them in! The flies float on the surface, sometimes in clumps. If they can get to the sides they will climb out. Feeding fish with fruit flies is easy when the fish are hungry and waiting, however some will always escape. Surface feeders, such as Epiplatys will devour them quickly, however other species need to be trained, not so much to eat them, but to notice that they are there! Unless your fish are mad for fruit flies, only feed a few at a time! Again, 5-8 minutes in a freezer can immobilise flies for some time, but they do wake up after a few seconds in warm tank water.


Fruit fly cultures for sale

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Flightless Fruit Fly Culture 32oz Live Dart Frog Food Reptile Food Live Insects

Middletown, Pennsylvania, 170**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

$19

Our Flightless Fruit Fly Culture 32 oz are made with Repashy
Live Flightless Fruit Flies are a great option for feeding small lizards and many species of frogs, especially because of their reproduction cycle. Each culture of flightless fruit flies has a lifespan of about one month, and even after they die, they will continually pupate from eggs laid by the adults in the culture! This will allow you to keep fruit flies for a while, as long as they are taken care of accurately
Oue Fruit ... more

Hydei Fruit Fly Culture 32oz Dart Frog Food Reptile Food Live Insects

Middletown, Pennsylvania, 170**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

$8

Hydei is a larger fruit fly at 3 mm in size. This makes them the ideal live food choice to feed to the larger species of Dart Frogs
Fruit flies are an excellent feeder for particularly small or hatchling reptiles, amphibians, and invertebrates such as:
Anoles (juvenile)
Carpet chameleons (juvenile)
Dart frogs
Day geckos
Electric blue geckos
Jumping spiders
Mantises
Mourning geckos
Pygmy chameleons (juvenile)
Tarantulas (juveniles / slings)
Care ... more

Hydei Fruit Fly Culture 4 Pack Reptile Dart Frog Food Live

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

$35

Get your reptile dart frogs the nourishment they need with this Hydei Fruit Fly Culture 4 Pack from Crazy Frog Lady L L.C. These live fruit flies are perfect for providing your pets with the necessary protein they require to thrive.
Crafted with the utmost care, this food source is an ideal choice for reptile owners who want to ensure that their pets receive high-quality sustenance. So why wait? Place your order today and give your dart frogs the nutritious meal they deserve
... more

Flightless Fruit Fly Cultures - Includes 40-50 flies! - FREE USPS shipping!

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 ... more

!!HYDEI COMBO PACK!! - Flightless Fruit Fly Culture - LIVE FEEDER INSECTS

Cleveland, Georgia, 305**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

$70

??PLEASE READ BEFORE PURCHASING??
(WHAT YOU RECEIVE)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Name: Drosophila hydei (x1 CULTURE)
"Golden" Drosophila hydei (x1 CULTURE)
Sizes: Flies, Larva & Eggs
Count: 50+ Per Culture (will produce prolifically)
Sex: M / F
WITH EXTREME TEMPS THERE WILL ONLY BE
LIVE ARRIVAL GUARANTEE WHEN UPGRADE TO
EXPRESS MAIL OR IN TEMPS BETWEEN 0 - 85F
(CULTURE ... more