# it might just explode!



## homerclease (Jun 21, 2015)

So I have been trying to experiment with my fly cultures to see what works best. I have a home recipe a great friend of mine shared with me and it works amazing. I decided to take it a few steps more and test a couple different things. Below are my test and my results. Also I have a few more test I am trying to see the results.

All test use the same recipe made by the same person. All cups and wood wool is from the same batch.

Test light vs dark 
Results no change in production

Test hot vs cold
63 to 76 all are about the same production.
80+ production was worse or nill!!

Test traffic near cups vs isolation vs shaking cup 
Traffic and isolation doesn't seem to make a difference
Shaking daily actually seemed to increase activity of the flies and maybe minor increase in production.... not enough go warrent effort in shaking

Starting culture off with TONS (hundreds +) of flies vs starting culture off with very few (25ish) flies

Results are not in yet but expecting the following
Tons = tons and tons but burn out fast
Few = a good amount but maybe the culture will last longer as it won't burn out so fast.

If you have any ideas please let me know. I just an trying to find maybe a better way to make flies. ..

BTW check this culture out.... it might exolode!


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## thane (Sep 11, 2014)

The main thing I'd be interested to know is how the flies do in darker vs. lighter areas of the house. I'm tempted to put mine in a closet so I don't have to look at them all the time, but not sure if that would affect their production, activity, and even nutrient content. You'd think they would prefer a little light, but not sure.

You may also try varying which flies you are starting it with. I read somewhere (can't remember now) that if you start by adding flies from a newly producing culture vs. an older culture that they will develop faster, but burn out faster also.

I only make 1 culture a week so I can't go experimenting too much, but I did start cutting down on how many I was adding at the beginning because they seemed to burn out too fast, and I noticed the same phenomenon as you - less production early on, but longer lasting.

One other thing I'd be interested to know about is how much exelsior/wood wool to add - I think I'm going on the heavy side just to give the flies more surface area to walk around on. I also add 1 tablespoon vinegar and a very small pinch of yeast, just because those were the instructions I got. Supposedly the yeast prevents more harmful mold from growing, but I have no clue what the vinegar is for.

That's all the variables I can think of, other than changing the media recipe. I'm glad you're taking the time to do these experiments. Good luck.

Thane


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## DKiM128 (Feb 16, 2004)

I'm more curious on what ingredient you're using to give the ff cultures that pepto bismol coloration.


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## homerclease (Jun 21, 2015)

Lol I use food coloring to die the culture. I do this for two reasons. First reason is to be able to see the larva and make sure it is producing and see how much it is producing. 2nd reason is to tell the difference in what culture is what. This one is from that batch and this one is made that day kinda deal. Nothen more than a person gain from the colors.


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## SwampMan (Jun 26, 2015)

So, are your frog's poop pink now?


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## homerclease (Jun 21, 2015)

No the flies are still the same. They don't change colors just what the eat did.


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## RRRavelo (Nov 21, 2007)

So are you going to tell us the recipe or just the data related to it? Good job on the testing BTW.


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## rigel10 (Jun 1, 2012)

Certainly the most beautiful cultures never seen! So colorful they are also decorative to be exposed in a frogroom.


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## homerclease (Jun 21, 2015)

Lol thanks they are pretty that is for sure. I was just sharing the related info on testing it. It is a mixture that my friend made and sells so I want to talk to him before releasing the recipe out to the world. It took him 3 years of modifying to perfect so I don't want to step on his toes. If he gives me the all clear I will share for sure. Any other test ideas are welcome! As for the colors lol a friend of mine asked me if the blue ones where the male and the pink was the female...... I just about lost it lol


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## Pacblu202 (May 8, 2012)

thane said:


> The main thing I'd be interested to know is how the flies do in darker vs. lighter areas of the house. I'm tempted to put mine in a closet so I don't have to look at them all the time, but not sure if that would affect their production, activity, and even nutrient content. You'd think they would prefer a little light, but not sure.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



I'll give you a comment shortly on the light vs dark. I'm keeping my flies in a cabinet drawer under my frog tank. 0 light in it.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## casemodgod (Jun 10, 2015)

I noticed the biggest changes moving them from a 77-78 degree room to a 70-71 room. Light sources are about the same.

I've now split both of those cultures into 2 more and tried with mixing in tropical food fish powder as a food source, so we'll see.


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## Ed (Sep 19, 2004)

Okay, I don't want to dampen your enthusiasm but the usage of production as a metric to evaluate a media or production method of fruit flies has to be used with a lot of caution. There have been several discussions on this in the past. 
See for example http://www.dendroboard.com/forum/food-feeding/202769-culture-production-health.html. 

Some comments 

Ed


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## Reef_Haven (Jan 19, 2011)

You've definitely got something interesting going on there. I've never seen the maggots able to make it all the way to the bottom of the media like that. I don't know if there is something special in his formula or if you have it mixed very dry, so the worms are able to keep clear tunnels for open airways clear to the bottom. 
Almost all of the cultures I've seen, the maggots are clearly only living in the top 1/2" of the media.


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## Dendrobait (May 29, 2005)

Prodiction in the dark could be inhibited if theor are visual elements tobthe courtship display. Looking forward to results.

When I see tunnels and larvae at the bottom it tells me I need to add a bit of water soon...otherwise I tend to get dead larvae...dry up on sides it seems...and a pretty pitiful yield.


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## homerclease (Jun 21, 2015)

My yields are intense... I normally lose alot of flies because I can't use them fast enough. I use a formula that is very wet at start and the media kinda rises like flour and becomes fluffy over the first 5 days or so. I have never had an issue with being to dry or dead larva nor poor production. I didn't by any means want this to become a debate over formula or production because of formula. I only wanted to peak the interest in keeping the variables (formula ) and changing environment and other factors. I will show the yield of the culture pictured above once it explodes


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## Reef_Haven (Jan 19, 2011)

Yield is likely the easiest to quantify as opposed to longevity or long term health, genetic diversity, etc.
Increased surface area available to the larvae seems to be a factor that, at least initially; produces a higher yield. If someones goal is simply to produce a ton of larvae quickly, this would be beneficial. 
To me it appears there is something unique in his formula that can't be duplicated simply by increasing the amount of media or even mixing the media to a drier consistency.


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## LadyMac (Jul 31, 2015)

You mentioned your friend sells the medium. I would be interested. I may be cheating, I have flies for my fish  But I have a lot of mouths to feed and the more a culture can yield the better for me. Such bossy picky fishes.


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## homerclease (Jun 21, 2015)

Currently I have not been able to get ahold of my friend since he is still out of the country. I will tell you all the majority of the ingredients and you all can take it from there. Instant mashed potatoes, regular dry baking yeast, powder sugar, apple cider vinegar and water (not boiled). He told me when I first started that everyone would tell me you can't use some of this stuff but it works. Here is a few pics of the yeilds.


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## JPccusa (Mar 10, 2009)

Sounds just like every other homemade fly media out there. He is not spilling the beans. 
http://www.dendroboard.com/forum/food-feeding/42745-fruit-fly-media.html


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