# Just made my first Fruit Fly Media - Problems



## that Frog Guy (May 13, 2012)

So I just ordered my first Fruit Fly Media Kit in the mail to save myself money and not worry about running out of flies before the next monthly reptile show.

I did exactly as the directions said (Half a cup of media mixed with 2/3 cup boiling ro/di water).

But the media is very thick and goupy. 

I mixed it with a spoon but there are still spots on the bottom of the cup that are dry powder.

The media stuck to the spoon too.

When I have bought fruit flies off people in the past the media was liquid and kind of runny, not thick and clumpy.

Did I do something wrong or get a bad batch?


----------



## Bjcg (Jan 4, 2013)

I'm assuming yu stired it... If its still dry at sum spots after stirring, add a bit more water and stir sum more. That should work


----------



## carola1155 (Sep 10, 2007)

I'm guessing you are talking about Josh's media?

Take a look at their how to guide here and pay close attention to the pictures. 
Josh's Frogs How-To Guides » Fruit Flies
(scroll down to the Fruit Fly Overview part)

The directions may be a little deceptive with the word "mix"... but you are going to want to simply pour the water in to the media and not do any manual mixing with a spoon. The pouring motion will do a bit of mixing itself, and the media will start to absorb some of the water on its own.

You arent going to get a completely uniform cup of media when you are done. If you look at the pictures on Josh's site (step 4 is a good example) you can see that the top half of the media is wet and the bottom section is still dry. Eventually the fruit fly larvae will do all the mixing for you and it won't be a problem.

This was all discussed quite a bit here if you are still a little confused:
http://www.dendroboard.com/forum/food-feeding/86543-new-joshs-media.html


----------



## erik s (Apr 12, 2010)

I know this may sound stupid..But if you put the hot water in the cup first then add the dry mix, for me it seems to blend better!!!


----------



## that Frog Guy (May 13, 2012)

Yes, it was from Josh's Frogs.

Is his mix supposed to be that consistency while others are more runny?

I did mix it with a spoon but that is because he said to do that in his Video on YouTube.

Why do you say not to stir it?


----------



## patm (Mar 21, 2004)

that Frog Guy said:


> Yes, it was from Josh's Frogs.
> 
> Is his mix supposed to be that consistency while others are more runny?
> 
> ...



These are all brought up in the link Tom provided.

-Pat


----------



## scoy (Jan 22, 2013)

You can add more water until its not clumpy.It will produce just fine. It just sucks when u go to tap some flies out and the media runs half way up the container.


----------



## carola1155 (Sep 10, 2007)

If it is the video on that same page I linked to, it is an old video from when their formula was different. That method will still work... but you will have better results following the newer instructions and by reading through that thread I referenced before.


----------



## frog guy (Jan 8, 2013)

The media should be somewhat the consistency of apple sauce at first and as the yeast reacts and the maggots digest, the media breaks down to a slurry


----------



## fishr (Dec 20, 2010)

If there is some dry powder at the bottom, do not worry, the maggots will stir it up.


----------



## pdfCrazy (Feb 28, 2012)

OK, I would think this would be obvious, but the whole, water first or media first issue can be totally circumvented by using a cordless mixer and a bowl, then just spoon it into your containers. I know this can be a little messier, but you get a much more uniform mix with no lumps, clumps or dry media.


----------



## J Teezy (Jan 25, 2012)

when I first started with flies I started with a kit from josh's. Put the media in the cup, pour in the boiling distilled water, let it cool to room temperature, add flies, add excelsior, put the lid on and store

The flies and larvae will mix up the media

l keep my cultures in a 3 drawer plastic unit with paper towels that have been sprayed with mite spray

Sent from my GT-N8013 using Tapatalk HD


----------

