# question about FF culture



## back2eight (Dec 19, 2005)

Ok, I know this is probably a stupid question, but I'm new to this. I started a culture six days ago and so far there has been absolutely nothing new in it. There are no maggots yet. Could I have done something wrong, or does it just take longer than this?


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## MJ (Jun 16, 2005)

Moved from begginer section.


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## Guest (Jan 31, 2006)

How are the adults in the culture doing? You left them in right?


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## elmoisfive (Dec 31, 2004)

You should see larvae movement sometime around 4-6 days post starting the culture. A couple of questions. How many adult flies did you add to start the culture? Too few can lead to a poor start. How long did the adults persist in the culture after addition? Do you have an idea of the approximate temperature of the culture storage environment? Finally are you noticing any color change or increased liquidity of the surface of the culture medium?

Don't be discouraged just yet.

Bill


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## back2eight (Dec 19, 2005)

I really don't know how many adult flies there are. I'd say at least 50. I dumped a bunch of them in there. I haven't noticed any change in the media. The temp is just room temp, probably around 70 degrees, at least that's what my thermostat is set on. The adult flies are all still in there, none have died, they are doing fine. I ordered a starter kit that didn't come iwth any instructions whatsoever, or a list of ingredients that is in the media. I sent an email to the person I bought it from asking if I needed to add anything to the media and he said no, just water, nothing else. He still didn't tell me how much water, so I just sort of guessed. I have three older cultures (the ones I bought) and I have set up four new ones, one six days ago and the other three just yesterday. I'm worried that the one that is six days old doesn't show any changes from when I first set it up.


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## bluedart (Sep 5, 2005)

Look on the sides and bottom of the culture (in the media). If you see any little paths or even the larvae themselves, you have a viable culture. Otherwise, give it a few more days. I remember how excited I was when I got my first larvae... haha. Good times.


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## back2eight (Dec 19, 2005)

ok, i see some! Whew, I was worried about that. thanks! Josh, what is a mississippi map turtle?


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## elmoisfive (Dec 31, 2004)

back2eight said:


> I really don't know how many adult flies there are. I'd say at least 50. I dumped a bunch of them in there. I haven't noticed any change in the media. The temp is just room temp, probably around 70 degrees, at least that's what my thermostat is set on. The adult flies are all still in there, none have died, they are doing fine. I ordered a starter kit that didn't come iwth any instructions whatsoever, or a list of ingredients that is in the media. I sent an email to the person I bought it from asking if I needed to add anything to the media and he said no, just water, nothing else. He still didn't tell me how much water, so I just sort of guessed. I have three older cultures (the ones I bought) and I have set up four new ones, one six days ago and the other three just yesterday. I'm worried that the one that is six days old doesn't show any changes from when I first set it up.


Sounds good. Hmmmm....did you add a few grains of bakers yeast to the surface of the medium after it set and do you have either excelsior or coffee filters in your culture?

Bill


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## back2eight (Dec 19, 2005)

Bill, I do have coffee filters, but no, I didn't add yeast. I asked the person who sold me the media what I needed to add to it and he said just water. I did look the last time I went grocery shopping, and they didn't even have any. I did just look closely, though, and saw some larva moving in the media, so that was reassuring.


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## elmoisfive (Dec 31, 2004)

back2eight said:


> Bill, I do have coffee filters, but no, I didn't add yeast. I asked the person who sold me the media what I needed to add to it and he said just water. I did look the last time I went grocery shopping, and they didn't even have any. I did just look closely, though, and saw some larva moving in the media, so that was reassuring.


Excellent. Adding a few grains of yeast for the adults helps but is not absolutely essential as the added adult flies usually carry enough yeast spores with them. I suspect your culture may be taking off a bit on the slow side given your temperature - I get my best results during the summer when I have my cultures in a room that stays closer to the mid to high 70s. At 70 development will be a bit slower but adequate. In time you will get a good sense of the cycle time for cultures and be able to adjust your schedule accordingly.

Bill


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## DartMan (Nov 29, 2005)

Stupid question time!  

What exactly does the yeast do? I researched this a little bit, but never could get a "real" answer.

I have to admit, I just started (2) cultures last night. After I mixed everything up, placed my coffee filters inside, and added my FF's, I then remembered that I forgot to add my yeast. I was able to take a knife and push the one side of the coffee filter over to add a little yeast to the top of media, but I was not able to add it evenly over the entire area of the media.

Do you think I have a chance of actually getting these (2) cultures to work?


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## back2eight (Dec 19, 2005)

I'm glad I'm not the only one doing this for the first time. I didn't add any yeast at all, and I see maggots in the media, so you're probably good, but what do I know.


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## Ed (Sep 19, 2004)

The live yeast (as some people add brewer's yeast to further boost the protien level) provides a protien source for the fly larva, and helps keep other bacteria and fungal invaders down or out. The yeast by feeding on the media produces ethanol and acetic acid which help to cue the flies into depositing eggs into the media 

Ed


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## Guest (Jan 31, 2006)

It makes the media rise!! LOL, I don't know either. All I ever know is that its one of the ingredients to growing fruit flies. If i wasnt a bio geek I'd say that fruit fly media spontaneously produced fruit flies. Haha! I got to get out of the 1400th century. :lol:


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## bluedart (Sep 5, 2005)

Khamul1of9 said:


> It makes the media rise!! LOL, I don't know either. All I ever know is that its one of the ingredients to growing fruit flies. If i wasnt a bio geek I'd say that fruit fly media spontaneously produced fruit flies. Haha! I got to get out of the 1400th century. :lol:


Something like the meat spontaneously producing house flies? Fun stuff! Didn't they used to sacrifice pigs and put them in sheds so that vegetable would grow or something? 9th grade Bio... good times. 





Back2eight said:


> ok, i see some! Whew, I was worried about that. thanks! Josh, what is a mississippi map turtle?


An aquatic turtle which I suppose was first discovered in the Mississippi river. He's a neat little turtle, but alot of work. It's nice that he's a little guy, though. Just over 4 inches fully grown, yay male turtles! Also, glad that you see your larvae now. [/quote]


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## Guest (Jan 31, 2006)

Oh God, I hope no 9th graders start thinking that meat spontaneously produce magots. 
Ok here goes, just so I dont get sued or bashed in this forum,
*Only a living thing of a particular species can bring about the life of another living thing, of and only of that same species. * 
So the carcass of a cow can't spontaneously grow maggots. 
I know you know better, but I have met people who believe these things. Yes in the last year I've met these people. Almost like the myth that frogs/toads cause worts.


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## Guest (Feb 1, 2006)

DartMan said:


> I was able to take a knife and push the one side of the coffee filter over to add a little yeast to the top of media, but I was not able to add it evenly over the entire area of the media.


You don't need to add much. I usualy try to add about 10 grains, give or take a few. Since it is the live baker's yeast, it will grow and spread through the culture. 




back2eight said:


> I ordered a starter kit that didn't come with any instructions whatsoever


Here is the mixing instructions that came with mine.

"To Use: Sterilize all culturing jars and any utesils that will come in contact with the medium. This can be accomplished by boiling for 2 min. This is very important as poor sanitation can lead to mold and bacterial contamination. If you encounter problems with moldy cultures, review your sanitation process.
Combine 1/4 Cup of medium with 3/8 Cup of hot water (you may substitute a 1 to 1 mixture of water and vinegar) Allow medium to cool. Then sprinkle lightly with baker's yeast and add flies. Store your cultures in a warm (78* is ideal) anddry area away from sinks air vents and other sources of bacteria and molds."

I usually add a little bit more liquid to the mix, because the cultures were drying up (cracks in the medium) on me. Approx. 1/2 cup, but varies with temps and humidity.
Good Luck! :wink:


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## Ed (Sep 19, 2004)

As for sterilizing the equipment, the same effect can be had by mixing and adding the media to culture containers that can be microwaved and microwaving the media for several minutes. 

Ed


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## Guest (Feb 1, 2006)

Cant beat an autoclave.

Matt


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