# Fruit fly culture problems



## huyvu (Feb 2, 2009)

After the initial hatch of a culture, there are tons of flies. Do I try to feed out all I can from the culture? I was told to leave 50 flies or less, so there wouldn't be any co2 build up. Is this right? Whenever I feed out the culture, I should take out all the flies I can from it, just leaving about 50 flies or less.

What I always do is leave a 100 or so after the initial hatch and every time I feed it out. My culture never last very long, two weeks at best. Am I leaving in too many flies?

After the initial hatch, my cultures slowly stop producing. I still have tons of media, more than half when I throw out the cultures because it doesn't produce at all anymore. I don't use the first emerging flies to seed the culture but from a two and a half week old culture. The two and a half week old culture has stopped producing, at best 100 flies in a week span. I use that 100 flies to seed a new culture. I dust the flies before I seed the culture and I always microwave the new culture before adding the flies. 

I am not sure what I am doing wrong. I love this hobby, but the thing that is constantly bring me down the fruit fly culturing. I never can get a good supply of culture going. I lost count on how many new cultures I have purchased over the years because my culture constantly fail.

I am using josh melo media by the way. I keep the cultures in 75degree temp in a sterilite tub, with the lid crack open.

If anyone can please help me, I greatly appreciate it. Seriously, I need help with this.


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## oneshot (Mar 5, 2010)

Well, here's how I do it:
When a culture has it's initial boom, which is at about the two week mark from when it was made, I immediately make one or two cultures from that one. Then I feed that culture out while the new one(s) are growing. I kept reading that the best way is to pick a day of the week and make cultures every week, but I always had trouble until I really adopted thatand actually made them every Wednesday.
I think that you're waiting until the culture is almost dead to start another culture. It might also help to let us know how many frogs you have, because say you only had one tank with two frogs, you could probably get away with making one culture every other week, when the boom happens, but if you have a bunch of frogs, you really have to make them every week. 
BTW, I have never seen anyone ever mention CO2 buildup in a culture as a problem. Actually, I don't think I have ever heard of it mentioned ever.

And also when you say you "dust" the flies when starting a new culture, do you mean you are dusting with supplements? If so, you don't need to be doing that.

Also, someone might be able to find the link to josh's frogs video about how to make cultures... 

Hope this helps,
Brian


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## tahir tareen (Dec 17, 2009)

oneshot said:


> And also when you say you "dust" the flies when starting a new culture, do you mean you are dusting with supplements? If so, you don't need to be doing that.
> 
> 
> Brian


dusting with supplements helps lessen the amount of mites transferred to new cultures.

my cultures are always variable in how long they last. I have used a cooked flax seed/applesauce/oatmeal/vinegar mix for ff for years now (christina hanson told me about it) and generally always have some cultures that just explode with flies and some not so much. 

do you notice: 1) mold in culture or foul smell (not the normal stink) from bacteria 2) pupae collecting near bottom of culture because environment too dry

these are the two biggest issues i've experienced with keeping cultures. its not the funnest part of dart frog hobby but its well worth it once you can maintain ff stock.


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## Ed (Sep 19, 2004)

huyvu said:


> What I always do is leave a 100 or so after the initial hatch and every time I feed it out. My culture never last very long, two weeks at best. Am I leaving in too many flies?
> 
> After the initial hatch, my cultures slowly stop producing. I still have tons of media, more than half when I throw out the cultures because it doesn't produce at all anymore. I don't use the first emerging flies to seed the culture but from a two and a half week old culture. The two and a half week old culture has stopped producing, at best 100 flies in a week span. I use that 100 flies to seed a new culture. I dust the flies before I seed the culture and I always microwave the new culture before adding the flies.
> .


This is why your having problems http://www.dendroboard.com/forum/food-feeding/42419-genetics-ff-culturing.html#post375153 

Since the cultures are only lasting about 2.5 weeks, you are still using the flies from the first emergence for your new cultures which is why it is still impacting production. It has nothing to do with how many flies you are leaving behind. If you start new cultures each week, you can still keep the frogs in flies. I know froggers that only use cultures for one boom of the cyclethey just use less media in the cultures so there isn't a lot of waste.. 

Ed

Ed


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## huyvu (Feb 2, 2009)

I have six frogs and I was making a culture every two weeks. Since my culture never last very long, I am always running around to get more flies. Now, I will make one every week and see if they can last 5-6 weeks like every one else. I really want to enjoy my frogs, but the food problems is giving me such a headache.

I don't think I am using the flies from the initial boom. As soon as I use up all the flies from the initial boom, the cultures production go down hill. It takes at least a week to get about a hundred new flies or less. I then use these flies to seed new culture. I never get second emergence of flies, just some flies here and there, after the initial boom.

I am not sure what I am doing wrong. There are no mold or stink smell, and the pupae crawl all over the sides of the cup. I'm sure my culture is moist enough.

How many cultures should I make each week? My frogs are leucs and tincs.

Thanks for the help so far.


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## Ed (Sep 19, 2004)

huyvu said:


> I have six frogs and I was making a culture every two weeks. Since my culture never last very long, I am always running around to get more flies. Now, I will make one every week and see if they can last 5-6 weeks like every one else. I really want to enjoy my frogs, but the food problems is giving me such a headache.
> 
> I don't think I am using the flies from the initial boom. As soon as I use up all the flies from the initial boom, the cultures production go down hill. It takes at least a week to get about a hundred new flies or less. I then use these flies to seed new culture. I never get second emergence of flies, just some flies here and there, after the initial boom.
> 
> ...


The life span of the fly through development is right about your timeline for the culture to crash. This is controlled by genetics. Even if you don't think of it as from the first bloom, it is.. just the end of it... If you make cultures from them, even if you do it on a weekly basis, don't expect the cultures to persist for more than the time frame you already see... 

Ed


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## huyvu (Feb 2, 2009)

How can I get flies from second emergence? I can never get past the first emergence.

So what do I do?


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## Ed (Sep 19, 2004)

If you can, get another culture from either a different source or from a fellow frogger and when you make new cultures, mix the flies. When I make cultures I always make sure to mix flies from the first and second emergence so I not only get booms but I get a fairly steady production. 

Ed


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## fido (Sep 29, 2008)

What you are using for media and how wet it is will have a great effect on how well the cultures do.

I have found at times if its too wet maggot waste kinda seals off the unused media below. A dryer mix will make a crust at the top and crack opening new media for a second bloom. Experiment with different wetness.

You should always make extra cultures so you don't go through shortages when you have a crash.

You could try 2 cutures per week till you get things figured.
Check and make sure you don't have mites. A 10x glass works wonders.
I only feed what i need from the culture no need to dump all the flys if you don't have to unless the culture is wet and they are crashing.
Potato flake Brewers yeast sugar cinamon is my mix and has worked for me.


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## huyvu (Feb 2, 2009)

i am only culturing wingless melo. If I mix first and second emergence from separate cultures to seed a new culture, I won't get fliers?


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## Ed (Sep 19, 2004)

huyvu said:


> i am only culturing wingless melo. If I mix first and second emergence from separate cultures to seed a new culture, I won't get fliers?


Not if you use the same type of wingless (make sure you have wingless and not gliders). 

Ed


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