# My media and flies



## dendro-dude (Jan 25, 2010)

I set up a culture about a week ago, I am culturing D. Hydei. and i have noticed little whtie worms (maggots?) and teen tiny black bugs. Which are they baby flies? which are bad?

how do i get the babies (once they are ready) out of their current culture into a new one? without any adults?


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## Omead (Mar 21, 2009)

What type of media are you using?


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## dendro-dude (Jan 25, 2010)

Banana and Apple Sauce Mix 
by Anthony Hundt 
1 cup banana (about 2 bananas) 
1 cup apple sauce 
1/8 cup vinegar (or 2 tablespoons or 15 ml) 
2 cups oatmeal 
a few granules of baker's yeast (this can be Fleishmann’s yeast)
Put banana and apple sauce in blender or bowl and mix until the banana is liquified. Heat in the microwave for approximately 2 min. or until hot enough to kill off any wild fruit fly eggs that were in the bananas, and to reduce mold. Add the vinegar and mix in oatmeal until it becomes firm, but still moist. Put the mixture in wide mouth quart canning jars and allow to cool. Once cooled, add the yeast and flies. Any unused media can be frozen until needed. 

This one


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## Omead (Mar 21, 2009)

The larval form of FFs are small worms.

Not sure about the tiny black bugs, maybe mites?


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## dendro-dude (Jan 25, 2010)

I don't believe they will harm my larvae?

How long can i leave this alone? or should i get my flies and larvae out?


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## Omead (Mar 21, 2009)

That sounds tasty! No wonder your culture has guests.


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## dendro-dude (Jan 25, 2010)

It also doesn't smell 

How/when do you get your larvae out of the culture and into their own (when they are old enough)?


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## Omead (Mar 21, 2009)

Im not sure what they are and if they are harmful. If it were me I would just set up another culture until someone can help, just in case.


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## dendro-dude (Jan 25, 2010)

Should just get the adults out? or should i attempt to retrieve the larvae as well?


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## Omead (Mar 21, 2009)

Are you trying to feed the larvae or wait until they are flies?

If you are doing the Larvae you can cover the top with some plastic wrap and it sometimes draws the worms closer to the top of the culture and makes it easier to get them. Just scrape some off the sides while tapping to keep flies down.

If you are waiting until they are flies just leave it be and once the culture starts booming you can feed the flies out. I just tip the culture over another cup and tap some flies out then throw in some suppliments then shake and serve.


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## dendro-dude (Jan 25, 2010)

Thank you, I'm getting cultures going for my frogs i'm picking up this Saturday
Very excited, first darts.


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## Omead (Mar 21, 2009)

Umm.. you meant to make a new culture 

Just dump some flies out into another culture. If they are mites they will most likely follow into the new culture so you might want to find a good way to get rid of them if you find thats what they are.


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## dendro-dude (Jan 25, 2010)

I'll see what I can do


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## Omead (Mar 21, 2009)

Congrats!

I was excited to get my first frogs too. I remember I took off work to wait for the package and get them settled in.

The FF's will be pretty easy once you get them down. Haven't tried a home recipe yet, Ive been buying the media from Josh and after almost 2 years it hasn't let me down. Now I culture: melanogaster ffs, tropical springtails, dwarf white isopods, mites, and riceflour beetles (which I dropped and now need to order more). I also like to feed termites occasionally when I can find them.

Good Luck


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## dendro-dude (Jan 25, 2010)

Thanks! 

I probably won't breed as much as you, but culturing FFs isn't as hard as I tohught it would be.

I've moved most of the adults to a new culture. Now we wait 

You can see my tank in the parts and construciton section, under "New memer, new to darts, first viv" almost done!


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## dam630 (Dec 11, 2009)

The "little black bugs" might have come from the bananas.
Trust me, every time you've eaten a banana you probably ate eggs or even larvae from any number of bugs that lay their eggs in fruit, like fruit flies!
Also, if there are any Winged fruit fly larvae in the bananas they will hatch and breed with your Wingless fruit flies and the offspring will be Winged. The winglessness is a recessive trait.


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## dendro-dude (Jan 25, 2010)

Not good... I've moved msot of the adults into a new culture
larvae and a few adutls remain the culture infested with these "black bugs"
I did microwave the bananas for 2mins...


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## R1ch13 (Apr 16, 2008)

Bit off topic but does that mix not cost a pretty penny with all the apple sauce and bannans etc?

The one I use is pretty god damn cheap and you might like to give it a go, so simple.

2 parts ready break (instant oats) 
1 part potato flakes
1 teaspoon of yeast
Mix it together and put a couple of inchs into your fruit fly cup, maybe 2-3inches.

Mix a couple tablespoons of vinegar with some fresh orange juice and pour it gently onto the surface of the mixture, try and keep it so that the bottom of the mixture stays dry or it wont work as well...

Just thought this may be something a bit simpler to try out.

At room temp (around 69-71) my Hydei and Funebris boom after around a week and a half, and with this mix they produce for a long time, with minimal mold.

Good luck 

Richie


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## dendro-dude (Jan 25, 2010)

hmm, I will have to try that. I am breed D. Hydei FYI. and I have quite a bit of leftover medium, so after i use up that. I will try your media.
Thank you, for the suggestion


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## Ed (Sep 19, 2004)

Where are the little black "bugs"? are they free moving or are they down in the media moving back and forth? 
Are you sure you aren't looking at the head/mouthparts of the maggots as they are feeding? 

Ed


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## dendro-dude (Jan 25, 2010)

Actually. . .  I had noticed that a little bit ago... And i do think that they are the mouth parts. I just forgot to post that. Sorry for the confusion, I got excited. And as you all can tell, I am a newbie to this.... Sorry


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## R1ch13 (Apr 16, 2008)

I was going to suggest the exact same thing as Ed earlier, but assumed this was too obvious.

As Ed says, you will see little black spots moving around in the media which is the heads of the larvae, which means there is nothing to worry about at all.

I don't see how any other bugs could have gotten in if you micro-ed everything etc, when exactly did these "bugs" show up?

Richie


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## R1ch13 (Apr 16, 2008)

dendro-dude said:


> Actually. . .  I had noticed that a little bit ago... And i do think that they are the mouth parts. I just forgot to post that. Sorry for the confusion, I got excited. And as you all can tell, I am a newbie to this.... Sorry


Fantastic 

Nothing to worry about then, happy fly culturing and congrats on the frogs coming...

Welldone

Richie


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## dendro-dude (Jan 25, 2010)

thanks guys, I feel so dumb. But hey, frogs, right? gotta love 'em. I get worried over every little thing that could harm my precious frogs. Thanks for the help, again

and yeah, the "bugs" appeared at the same time the larvae did....


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## kim_1980 (Feb 11, 2010)

what kind of vinegar are you using?


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