# Hydei vs melanogaster



## Calivet (Aug 12, 2013)

Is there a reason to feed any particular fly type to any particular species, other than ability to ingest it? For instance, if a thumbnail is capable of ingesting a hydei, is there a nutritional difference or mechanical issue during digestion that makes hydei an unacceptable food source, or a concern about too much/too little calcium powder being ingested, or is the limiting factor simply the species' ability to prehend and swallow the fly? 

Thanks in advance.


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## chamsRawesome (May 14, 2014)

Well if your planning on starting your own cultures, the melanogasters breed 10 faster and produce more flies even though they may be a smaller fly.


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## JasonE (Feb 7, 2011)

And while adult thumbs might be able to handle hydei, the froglets can't.

And I'm not even sure an adult would go after them.


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## rigel10 (Jun 1, 2012)

If you know German, this link is very helpful: 

Bugs International - Herzlich Willkommen 

Drosophila Klein=Drosophila melanogaster; Drosophila Grosse=Drosophila hydei


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## frogfreak (Mar 4, 2009)

chamsRawesome said:


> Well if your planning on starting your own cultures, the melanogasters breed 10 faster and produce more flies even though they may be a smaller fly.


Depends, my Hydei do very well!

OP, a smaller fly would be better with Thumbs IMO. It's just easier to ingest is all.


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## ndame88 (Sep 24, 2010)

Though I only keep Tincs and Leucs, I culture both. By doing so, I feel much more secure in knowing that I will have a food source. Melanogasters do produce faster than Hydei, but Hydei are larger in size and better escape artists.


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## frogfreak (Mar 4, 2009)

ndame88 said:


> Though I only keep Tincs and Leucs, I culture both. By doing so, I feel much more secure in knowing that I will have a food source. Melanogasters do produce faster than Hydei, but Hydei are larger in size and better escape artists.


Agreed, I culture three types of Flies, Springs, Iso's and Bean Beatles. I'm thinking most culture a variety of insects 

"Don't put all your eggs in one basket" seems fitting.


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## LLLReptile (Jan 6, 2010)

frogfreak said:


> Agreed, I culture three types of Flies, Springs, Iso's and Bean Beatles. I'm thinking most culture a variety of insects
> 
> "Don't put all your eggs in one basket" seems fitting.


I personally raise cultures of hydei and melanogaster just in case, and at the LLL breeding center we keep both just to alternate. We don't seem to need as many of the hydei to fill up the adult frogs as the melanogaster, and alternating helps rest the cultures.

We do also feed off freshly hatched crickets as well as springtails, simply for the sake of variety. The frogs seem to do better.

-Jen


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