# Fruit Fly Alternatives



## The3rdMan (Sep 11, 2008)

What are the best alternatives to fruit flies for darts - basically something easily bred, nutritious as a main staple but dont climb straight up the tank and out if there are any cracks. Just looking for something easier to deal with.


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## AlexRible (Oct 16, 2007)

The only other thing that come to mind is pinhead crickets they will not climb out of the tank, but they are harder to bred than FF. Also they quickly out grow most darts.


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## The3rdMan (Sep 11, 2008)

Yes - Ive tried pinheads - almost too small and way too difficult to breed. What about phoenix worm larvae and spring tails?


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## flyangler18 (Oct 26, 2007)

FFs will be the staple, because they can be dusted with supplements. Springtails, isopods, phoenix worms, bean beetles, field sweepings- added variety.


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## The3rdMan (Sep 11, 2008)

I just love definitives


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## Philsuma (Jul 18, 2006)

FF are the time tested staple and are very easy to culture.

Melanogaster do not climb ( as much as Hydei) and screening will easily keep them inside the viv.


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## Brian Ferriera (Nov 1, 2006)

I also like throw in here that the wingless Melanogaster tend to act more like ants and crawl more on the bottom. When I got back into frogs a few months back my new wife was extremely concerned about ff's every where...she has yet to have a problem with them and spends allot of time on the computer witch is right next to the tank so if we did have a problem I am sure I would have heard about it.
Brian


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## allyn (Oct 6, 2008)

Brian Ferriera said:


> I also like throw in here that the wingless Melanogaster tend to act more like ants and crawl more on the bottom. When I got back into frogs a few months back my new wife was extremely concerned about ff's every where...she has yet to have a problem with them and spends allot of time on the computer witch is right next to the tank so if we did have a problem I am sure I would have heard about it.
> Brian


hehe "new wife"


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## EDs Fly Meat (Apr 29, 2004)

flyangler18 said:


> FFs will be the staple, because they can be dusted with supplements. Springtails, isopods, phoenix worms, bean beetles, field sweepings- added variety.


Jason said it all.
I would also add rice flour beetle larve and roaches.


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## flyangler18 (Oct 26, 2007)

To comment further, the two main reasons that FFs have become the ubiquitous staple for captive PDFs are: 

1) ease of culture
2) reproduce in large amounts on (somewhat) predictable schedules

I know Ed Kowalski feeds the PDFs at the Philly Zoo a staple of 10-day old crix, but that would prove difficult at the hobbyist level, I should think.


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## sports_doc (Nov 15, 2004)

The3rdMan said:


> I just love definitives


??? I dont quite understand that post.


Anyway, I think folks have given you the 'correct' answer, perhaps not what you had hoped for, but.... many decades of PDF keeping has come before us all, and the clear winner is Fruit Flies.

Springtails CAN be cultured in mass, and kept on schedule with routine care, can function as a staple food. You'll still need to find a way to supplement vitamins/Ca+2

Try wingless FF's. 

S


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## ahinkle (Oct 15, 2007)

Brian Ferriera said:


> I also like throw in here that the wingless Melanogaster tend to act more like ants and crawl more on the bottom. When I got back into frogs a few months back my new wife was extremely concerned about ff's every where...she has yet to have a problem with them and spends allot of time on the computer witch is right next to the tank so if we did have a problem I am sure I would have heard about it.
> Brian


Maybe my strain of melanogaster has evolved the ability (and inclination) to climb. These guys will go straight up every time and also seemed to have the ability to hang onto plastic more so than they used to. Maybe it is small scale evolution, but either way I still agree with the rest.

Although I am experimenting with chironimids (non-biting) as a stable source of food but these fly and that probably will be even less attractive to your needs. 
Good luck either way.


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