# Fruit fly media



## Guest

Alright, I have a question for everyone. Does anyone have a good recipe for home made fruit fly media with antifungals that works well for them and that they are willing to share? I know a lot of frog breeders make money from selling their mixture, and I don't want to step on any toes, but I have heard that it is very easy and inexpensive to mix up your own. Another thing to consider is the smell produced. Some media really gives off a foul odor while others are not so offensive. If you don't mix your own, do you have a specific media that you swear by?


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## melissa68

*try honey for the smell*

Yes, they can smell pretty bad! After you add water to your ff culture, add a tsp or so of honey. Then add the baker's yeast & your flies. I think you will be surprised by the lack of odor.

Another thing that may be causing an issue, how much baker's yeast are you using? Try cutting back a bit on it and that might help too.

Melis


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## Guest

I actually just use the blue media from California Biological and a little baker's yeast that they provide. I want to purchase a large amount of brewer's yeast, but I don't know where the best place to purchase it from is.


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## Guest

try looking in the phone book in you area for wine makers supply or brewers supply shops. or find a microbrewery in your area and ask to speak with the brewer. If you are in ohio, i can get you about a pound for free, i know lots of brewers =)


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## edwardsatc

For bulk brewers yeast try http://www.bulkfoods.com You can buy 2, 5 or 50 lbs.
This is also a good source for spirulina and chlorella in bulk.

Donn


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## kyle1745

I use this: From http://www.doylesdartden.com/fruitfly.html

Normal Amount 
1 cup of powdered sugar
4 teaspoons Methyl paraben
8 cups potato flakes
1/2 - 1 cup of brewers yeast.

I then use 1/3cup medium, and 1/3-1/2 cup 1:1 water:vinegar.

I have had great luck with this mix, and it is very cheap. Like others have said though it can smell a little. I keep mine in a cabinet so I can not smell them unless I open the door.


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## Guest

kyle1745 said:


> I use this: From http://www.doylesdartden.com/fruitfly.html
> 
> Normal Amount
> 1 cup of powdered sugar
> 4 teaspoons Methyl paraben
> 8 cups potato flakes
> 1/2 - 1 cup of brewers yeast.
> 
> I then use 1/3cup medium, and 1/3-1/2 cup 1:1 water:vinegar.
> 
> .


I also use this recipe with great results. I do not use the methyl paraben, only 1:1 water:vinegar, and as long as the mix is wet enough, I have no problems with mold. I also add enough spirulina to turn it a dark green. Oh, I also add 2/3 cup water/vinegar for 1/3 cup dry media...I guess everyone has their own preference.


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## kyle1745

Opps I forgot to remove that, I do not use that either.



MBMcEwen said:


> kyle1745 said:
> 
> 
> 
> I use this: From http://www.doylesdartden.com/fruitfly.html
> 
> Normal Amount
> 1 cup of powdered sugar
> 4 teaspoons Methyl paraben
> 8 cups potato flakes
> 1/2 - 1 cup of brewers yeast.
> 
> I then use 1/3cup medium, and 1/3-1/2 cup 1:1 water:vinegar.
> 
> .
> 
> 
> 
> I also use this recipe with great results. I do not use the methyl paraben, only 1:1 water:vinegar, and as long as the mix is wet enough, I have no problems with mold. I also add enough spirulina to turn it a dark green. Oh, I also add 2/3 cup water/vinegar for 1/3 cup dry media...I guess everyone has their own preference.
Click to expand...


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## jbeetle

I have used a couple different recipes, but none have seemed as good as the medium I have bought of people. I wish I could get their's, but they do sell it to make money so I understand. So I use pre-made mixes: fruitflies.net, ED's, or a friend of mine's for most of my ff's. I think try new things with the homemade recipes in hopes of getting it to be as good as the pre-made ones. 

Where does everyone buy their Methyl paraben from? Also, which of the pre-made mixes does everyone think is the least smelly?


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## MarkJ

I usually make 4 cultures a week for now
1 1/3 cup potato Flakes
2/3 cup Oat bran
1/3-1/2 cup Powdered Sugar
Couple Tablespoons of Brewers Yeast
Add some calcium powder
1:1 Water Vinegar
Works well so far, I onyl started using it 2 weeks ago I like it but had some mold problems but it was because my bakers yeast on top was really old I think the ones I set up with new yeast are doing great


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## Guest

i use exactly that except for the 1:1 water/vingear ratio. That is going to cause it to smell badly. Heres what i do:

Ingredients:

baker's yearst, methylane blue, dry spanish moss, vingear, sugar and water. 

side notes:

-too much yeast, or methylane blue will kill the ff within hrs. FF absorb the yeast by a process similiar to smelling. The yeast also helps the process of turning the flakes into protein. 

-methylane blue can be bought at a local pet shop. petco and petsmart will not carry it because a lot of customers do not know how to use it and ends up killing their fishes. methylane blue is to stop the mold but it will be gone within a week, so vingear is added. methylane blue will also stain your clothes forever. It will stain your skin for a few days. 

- dry spanish moss can be bought for only a few dollars (like $2) for a huge bag at any hobby shop like Michaels or Hobby Lobby. It is there for surface area. i heard that the ff will consume this too, but i am not sure. 

-too much sugar will turn the media solid with little or no water left after a few days. sugar is not needed it is just to give ff some food right away and to speed up the process, so if you are not sure how much to use always use less. 

-make sure you use the same amount of solution with the flakes. too much will cause the media to be wet, too little and it will be dry. This media will last for 1 month when it basically just disappear before it gets mushy or too dry.

*** extremely important to all beginners. The more ff you start off with the more your culture will end up producing for the rest of its lifetime.

1) Determine how much potato flakes you will need. Measure it out with a cup or something. pour it into your deli cup or whatever you use.

2) mixed 99% water, 1-5% of vingear and sugar into the same cup. For the sugar just use about a teaspoon. Make sure the amount of mixed solution = the potato flakes. 

3) add 2 drops of methylane blue, and stir until most of the sugar has dissolve.

4) pour the solution into the container that has the flakes. 

5) give it about a min or 2 until the solution has turn solid-like and add a pinch of baker's yeast.

6) add spanish moss on the top and with a straw stab some of it into the media to hold it in place.

7) wait 5mins add flies.

If someone has any questions, please feel free to ask.


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## Guest

oh i never had mold occur by this process and it has been over 6 months. the methylane blue is great. I also keep my potato flakes in a jar with a screw on lit. I make sure it is not expose to the air too long to keep any airborne mold from getting in.


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## Devin Edmonds

Two good recipes, neither of which I can take credit for but that I've had incredible results from, are:

Number One

Add to a 24oz. or 32oz. container:

1/2 cup warm water
1 tablespoon white sugar
2 tablespoons powdered milk
4-6 tablespoons instant mashed potatos
sprinkle a little bakers yeast on top

It smells aweful after the first few weeks but the mass amount of flies are worth the discomfort.

Number Two

Boil:
1 mushed banana
1/2 container of grape juice concentrate
14 oz. applesauce
1/8 cup molasas

Mix:
1 cup instant mashed potatos
1/2 cup brewers yeast

Combine:
1 part water
1 part vinigar

Add 6 tablespoons of the boiled mix, 6 tablespoons of the dry mix and 2-4 tablespoons of the water/vinigar. The cultures don't smell great, but not terrible either. This medium produces the most flies of any home made or commercial medium that I've used but it takes a little work to make. Good luck,

Devin
http://www.amphibiancare.com


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