# Fruit Fly Culture Drying Out



## that Frog Guy (May 13, 2012)

So sometimes my Fruit Fly Cultures work great and last for a long time.
But sometimes the Media tends to dry out.
Sometimes in a few days.
I have not made my own culture yet but plan to soon.
I have been buying from others.

My question is is it ok to spray some water into the culture to keep it from drying out?

Or could that kill the flies, lessen the lifespan of the culture, etc.


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## heyduke (Sep 19, 2006)

I mist mine sometimes when they seem like they are getting a bit dry. Just go lightly, I have over soaked more than one before.


Sean


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## Scott (Feb 17, 2004)

Do not mist them. The way the ffs breathe - this could very well quickly kill them.

Pour a controlled stream of water in to wet the media.

I wouldn't have believed that misting them could kill them - but I've done it.

s


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## heyduke (Sep 19, 2006)

Huh.. I've never killed any with misting but good to know.


Sean


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## pdfCrazy (Feb 28, 2012)

I mist my FF cultures every time I open them to get flies. They last a little longer that way. FYI, unless the water pools at the bottom drowning the flies, I havnt noticed any deaths. Also, flat beer can be even better to brign a culture back to life.


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## LizardLicker (Aug 17, 2012)

pdfCrazy said:


> I mist my FF cultures every time I open them to get flies. They last a little longer that way. FYI, unless the water pools at the bottom drowning the flies, I havnt noticed any deaths. Also, flat beer can be even better to brign a culture back to life.


Really? I have lots of beer. It doesn't usually sit around long enough to get flat though.................................... Anyway, do you just poor a little in?


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## pdfCrazy (Feb 28, 2012)

Exactly. Just dont overdue it. I've kept it in a small mister too, just dont keep much in the mister too long or it will go nasty.


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## hypnoticaquatic (Dec 19, 2012)

curious to see if anyone had ever tried using a polymere like Reduce plant waterings up to 50% with Soil Moist so they dont have to spray or worry bout drowning flys. it slowly releases water back though r.o. and one bag would last you a long time, as a cap full of a 20oz bottle will hold almost 20oz of water. figured id just share might be a really usefull trick...


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## Reef_Haven (Jan 19, 2011)

My cultures don't dry out till there pretty much depleted. Just curious why you don't just close up a few holes in the lid with tape?


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## TDK (Oct 6, 2007)

I've used a turkey baster to add a little to the bottom of the culture and also have used the large needle for adding moisture to a turkey--I think its called an injector baster. with the needle you can go into the media. Also the area where you are keeping your media may be dry an allow the media to dry out faster--maybe move to a different location in your house.


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## TheCoop (Oct 24, 2012)

I have never misted nor had dry out problems.. I have made my own media and cultures for over 10 years.. Water to media ratio is very important. There are also a few key ingredients you can add to your media to help them to retain moisture..


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## Pumilo (Sep 4, 2010)

If it's really drying out in only 3 days, then you are not using enough water when you make them.


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## jacobi (Dec 15, 2010)

What he said ^^^^^^^

How much water are you using, and how much media?


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## patm (Mar 21, 2004)

that Frog Guy said:


> I have not made my own culture yet but plan to soon.
> I have been buying from others.


He's been buying them...so someone else seems to be mixing wrong.

-Pat


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## papafrogger (Oct 21, 2012)

Not to bash the OP but with as many frogs as you have listed in your signature why dont you culture fruit flies?

I mist my cultures whenever i see them drying out or molding, the only deaths i have seen were some hydei wings getting stuck to the sides of the cup and them dying.


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## Ed (Sep 19, 2004)

Reef_Haven said:


> My cultures don't dry out till there pretty much depleted. Just curious why you don't just close up a few holes in the lid with tape?


Despite being on the top shelf in my frog room (Daytime highs somewhere between 78-85 F), my cultures don't dry out until after 30 days when they get placed ontop of a fixture with 4 T5HO bulbs and even then it can take 4-5 days before the cultures dry out... 

Some comments 

Ed


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## pdfCrazy (Feb 28, 2012)

If he's purchasing FF cultures somwhere locally, most of those seem to be only starter cultures. For example, the local reptile shop, Scales N Tails, usually has FF cups in 32 oz containers using blue media (dont know the brand), but they only start these cultures with a hair over an inch of media (save on expenses). It usually just enough of a culture to get NEW cultures going, not to really feed from. I use glass Qt mason jars, and I start with a good 3" of media. When done cooking, a huge spoonful will just slide off a spoon slowley with a little encouragement. Any watery the flies get stuck and drown, any thicker the culture dries a little formign a "skin" on the top of the media which REALLY slows my production down. I regularly get 45 days from my cultures, with peaking output right around 30.


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## that Frog Guy (May 13, 2012)

pdfCrazy said:


> If he's purchasing FF cultures somwhere locally, most of those seem to be only starter cultures. For example, the local reptile shop, Scales N Tails, usually has FF cups in 32 oz containers using blue media (dont know the brand), but they only start these cultures with a hair over an inch of media (save on expenses). It usually just enough of a culture to get NEW cultures going, not to really feed from. I use glass Qt mason jars, and I start with a good 3" of media. When done cooking, a huge spoonful will just slide off a spoon slowley with a little encouragement. Any watery the flies get stuck and drown, any thicker the culture dries a little formign a "skin" on the top of the media which REALLY slows my production down. I regularly get 45 days from my cultures, with peaking output right around 30.


So how are the cultures that use the blue media?

PetSmart sells these.

Fruit Fly Melanogaster Vial

They are 6.00 and have like 20 flies.

Nobody buys them and they do not seem to produce anything.

I get the 32 ounce with the traditional media for 4.00 and get thousands of flies.

One of these 6.00 vials would not feed one of my frogs for one day.

Has anyone ever tried these blue vials?


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## Ed (Sep 19, 2004)

The small blue vials, if they are set up properly can be pretty productive, of course they aren't going to produce on the scale of the larger cultures. 

The blue media is the stock Carolina media with methylene blue added as it makes the larvae more visible. 

Some comments 

Ed


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## pdfCrazy (Feb 28, 2012)

In my opinion, these cultures from Petsmart and Petco are best used only to start your own cultures with. I dont know about everyone else, but i havnt seen a good producing one yet. Mail order is an option depending on what state you live in, there are very reputable companies that will sell you good cultures by mail. But, at least for myself, I'd go broke and my frogs would starve if I had to do it that way. I make maybe 20 cultures a month, and that really only runs me about $5.00 total because I make my own culture media. If I were to purchase bulk media from Carolina or Joshes, my cost would go up alot, but still affordable. The most expensive method, and least effective is to buy them individually. But.....some people don't like messing with buggs.


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## Pumilo (Sep 4, 2010)

pdfCrazy said:


> But.....some people don't like messing with buggs.


What?  Who? I want names.


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## pdfCrazy (Feb 28, 2012)

I hear this one guy I know named Doug has: Entomophobia - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


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