# MOLD in FF culture



## The_Greg (Sep 10, 2007)

On my second culture, there is mold growing. I think its mold. Its white, and its spreading since yesterday. 

Do i have to scrap the whole culture? Can i feed the flies that are already in there and then scrap the culture?

My first culture is starting to produce with no problems, and i think i used more water in that culture. 

Josh's media....


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## naidahl (Jul 13, 2005)

hey greg, i use josh's media too and used to have some mold problems too. my best advice is to meausre it out as accurately as possible and maybe add a teaspoon or two of vinegar. I use 1/3 and 1/2 measuring cups now to be precise with the mix as compared to when i used one large measuring cup with graduations in it. I seriously haven't had a moldy culture from josh's media for months since i turned into such a perfectionist about my cultures, just my .02 cents


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## pyro4fun (Jul 27, 2007)

This happened to me in a few cultures with ED's and it was fine you can feed the fly's out and let it grow for a few days if your culture is going to bloom. I was told it won't harm your frogs at all i just kept them for a week than scraped them after the bloom.

You can try adding a tbl spoon of vinegar to your water before you mix your next culture it works as a mold inhibitor. and try just a little less water next time. 

It's all in practice you will find what works for you.


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## littlefrog (Sep 13, 2005)

I see that sometimes too. Make sure you boil your water before adding dry mix to it, that seems to help. I don't add more vinegar, but that can't hurt.

The mold doesn't hurt the frogs if you feed flies from that container. In my hands, it does seem to slow down the production. A culture usually takes two weeks to produce for me, if it molds over, three or three and half weeks. But I get reasonable production after that.


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## joshsfrogs (May 6, 2004)

> Make sure you boil your water before adding dry mix to it, that seems to help.


That is the key with all medias. Methyl Paraben doesn't dissolve in water as easily as we would like. Using boiling water helps mix it in.

Also, don't start cultures with moldy cultures as you will just spread the mold. Keep cultures away from your AC/Heat vents as well because they just shoot mold spores everywhere.

Are you making melanos or hydei cultures?


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## SusannahJoy (Jul 3, 2006)

I used to have problems with mold as well. I live in a dry area so I have to add more water, and I was just using hot water. When I started actually boiling it the mold problems went away. Also, any time a culture starts showing any mold at all I feed out the remaining the flies in it and promptly throw it away, and then take out the trash. I dont let any mold stay in the same room.


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## The_Greg (Sep 10, 2007)

Okay, well i did boil the water, so thats not the problem. 

As far as which species of fly, im not sure, its just the ones the petstore gave me.... but they are pretty small compared to the flies i saw at petco.

Well, i got some other ff's, so i think im just going to scrap the culture. I also have three cultures coming in from Josh's tomorrow i believe 

if i ad a hair of vinegar, should i add that much less water?


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## pyro4fun (Jul 27, 2007)

> if i ad a hair of vinegar, should i add that much less water?


Yes, I put a tbl spoon in the mesuring cup than add the hot water.


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## boombotty (Oct 12, 2005)

I just had a culture mold and it produced alot more hydei than my other one that did not mold.


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## Arklier (Mar 1, 2004)

Is it a new culture? I sometimes get mold in the cultures before the maggots are out in force. Once they are whipping up the medium, it usually goes away.

Unless the mold seems to be killing the flies, I wouldn't worry about it too much.


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