# Stinky Fruit Flies



## ExoticRepublic (Apr 28, 2014)

How do I keep my fruit flies from stinking up the reptile room? I've tried everything from baking soda to febreeze and they still insist on making such a rancid smell. Any input would be much appreciated.



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## Mavpa (Jan 5, 2015)

What media are you using? In my experience, some stink more than others.

How long are you holding onto them for?


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## FrogTim (Oct 1, 2015)

Make sure you are only keeping your cultures 30 days. Also check for mold.

Some media smells way better than others. Joshsfrogs media smells great. Other media I add a tsp of ground cinnamon which acts as a mold inhibitor and gives my cultures a good smell. Towards the end of 30 days they don't smell great, but even when opened the smell doesn't fill a room.


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## chillplants (Jul 14, 2008)

I use Repashy and it does have a distinct cinnamon smell when you first make a batch. Usually around the 20 day mark it starts to smell, but not bad. By 30 days, it is very noticeable and I throw them out. 
I keep my cultures in a 66 qt Sterlite container with the lid resting on top (not closed all the way). It sits right next to my desk and I never smell anything unless I take the lid off.


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## MasterOogway (Mar 22, 2011)

Are your cultures turning extremely liquidy? What temperature are you keeping them at? If they smell rancid something has gone wrong, even old cultures shouldn't smell like that .


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## phender (Jan 9, 2009)

If they smell rancid before 30 days and not just old/dusty, you likely have either a mold or bacteria problem. Are you using boiling water to mix your cultures? Boiling water helps sterilize the medium. Are you leaving the tops off your cultures while they cool? Bacteria and mold spores float around in the air and can contaminate your cultures. Are you starting new cultures with flies from stinky ones? Flies will carry the contaminants from one culture to the other. If you are making your own medium, you may be using something that goes bad easily/quickly.


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## Ed (Sep 19, 2004)

Phil is on the right tract if the cultures smell bad. 
It is easiest to get really bad smelling cultures if they don't include some of the mold inhibitors and/or if they don't get hot. 

All I can really add is the following. 
I would start with making sure that your utensils that you mix the cultures with are clean, that your following the directions for the media, and try to not use flies from cultures that are bad smelling. 

An additional one is that you can try to seed the cultures with more flies the greater number of larvae may (and I'm stressing the may here) reduce the issue by churning the media. 

some comments 

Ed


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## r.mickaels (May 17, 2015)

Could also try a splash of white distilled vinegar if you believe that mold or fungus is contributing to an odor. 


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## Ed (Sep 19, 2004)

r.mickaels said:


> Could also try a splash of white distilled vinegar if you believe that mold or fungus is contributing to an odor.


This is an oft repeated piece of dogma which ignores the reality of many of the molds and fungi that infect cultures. For example, the black mold that shows up in some cultures is Aspergillosus niger which likes very acidic conditions for growth (can shift the media to a pH of 2.) As a result the addition of vinegar is very unlikely to be a benefit and could instead be another problem. 

People often forget that if you shift the pH below 4 you also begin to kill off the yeast ....

some comments 

Ed


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