Fruit flies culture test

Repti-racks · #1 (**permalink**) 11-03-2006, 05:19 AM

Anyone ever tested cultures in different temps. Anyone have an results so far. I have noticed their where slowed down when temps dropped to 60's i currently have some out side in shed ,in house, and some with yeast some without and some with tap water and chlorine free water.

Just looking for some feed back from you guys testing the waters with fruit flies

Ed · #2 (**permalink**) 11-03-2006, 12:30 PM

Not to be rude but have you searched the forums? There has been a ton of discussion on ff cultures and thier production. Including some of those exact paramaters you are "testing". You can also look into the frognet archives where there is a longer history of discussion on cultures.

In addition, if you searched the literature you would be able to find a lot of information on enviromental effects on ff growth as well as nutritional variations.

For example, there are two types of yeast (and at least two strains of live yeast) that are added to the cultures for different reasons. Brewer's or nutritional yeast is dead and is added to the cultures to increase the protien content of the media which is one of the limiting factors on growth and production. Baker's yeast is a live yeast that is added to the cultures to cut down on the chances of other microorganisms from becoming established. The third yeast is the one that is transported on the flies themselves which will become over time adapted to your culture conditions....

Ed

Repti-racks · #3 (**permalink**) 11-03-2006, 02:49 PM

No i havnt had time to search the fourms thanks im very busy. when i have time ill try tooo.

stchupa · #4 (**permalink**) 11-04-2006, 11:43 PM

Room temp has always been my best bet, no special treatment required really. Just make it and leave it alone in 72-75 degree temps. There preferences are not much at all different from ourselves, aside from the fact most people prefer food that isn't rotting. Drunks and chesse eaters I'm thinking of you.

Repti-racks · #5 (**permalink**) 11-04-2006, 11:51 PM

i currently have some indoors and out in the garage testing the process out. Thanks a couple of weeks will tell im just trying to find the best temp for max prouducing.

stchupa · #6 (**permalink**) 11-04-2006, 11:59 PM

As Ed would probably say (not to put words in your mouth for you) speeding production probably isn't the best thing. Some/most/all times you just have to let things happen as they should.

Repti-racks · #7 (**permalink**) 11-05-2006, 12:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stchupa

As Ed would probably say (not to put words in your mouth for you) speeding production probably isn't the best thing. Some/most/all times you just have to let things happen as they should.

Im in need of some flys asap and are just trying to speed it up some to get an good jump on cultures producing then go back to normay production with them
thanks

defaced · #8 (**permalink**) 11-05-2006, 10:01 PM

Temp can have an influence on total yeild, but the time for a culture to start producing isn't going to significantly affected.

KeroKero · #9 (**permalink**) 11-06-2006, 05:04 AM

Repti-racks - look into other feeding options for your critters until the flies become established. You're not going to get super production cutting down half the time it takes for them to produce by increasing temps. Most of us wouldn't be wasting time on "normal production" if there was a way to speed up production... we want them as close to instant as we can get. Patience isn't a virtue when it comes to food...

Unfortunately it sounds like this advice is coming a little late, but always have a backup for your food. Due to the small food preferences of our frogs, its not as easy as running to the local pet store, so you have to set them up on the side of whatever mainstay (such as FFs) that you are culturing. I personally keep Rice Flour Beetles (RFBs) for just this reason. They require little care, and an occasional check up and media replacement will keep them happy and producing on a mostly forgotten shelf somewhere. Suddenly, the flies will crash, and then you've got RFB larvae to tide you over until you get your flies in the mail or something.

Also, local froggers are often great sources of foods when you are in dire straights. They may often having ready to feed cultures that you can get, or other feeders, to tide you over until your cultures are going again.

Going by your signature, most of your frogs could tide over on crickets (small for the mints and vittatus, larger for the RETFs) from your local pet store. The azureus and pumilio are more of a problem, unless you've got some local froggers to the rescue, a termite log you can raid, or aphids crawling all over a non-chemically sprayed plant in your garden.

stchupa · #10 (**permalink**) 11-06-2006, 05:09 AM

Dire Straights, oh that's great, I figured the whole nation moved away from that, great to see someone still remembers classics.