DendroDave

A few weeks ago I had a mite problem and my fruit-fly cultures were not producing any flies, so I had to get rid of all the cultures I had started. so I ordered a couple of new cultures to start over, the cultures were 4 days old when I received them now they are 8 days old and they have a ton of larvae and some have begun to pupae or what ever you call it and they are a light color. but no new flies yet and aren't the pupae suppose to be a dark color b4 the flies emerge? and the starter flies I had to feed them to my frogs because they had to wait for the flies to arrive (4 days). Also the new cultures are kept in a different part of my house and I cleaned with bleach and water the place I used to keep them at. By the way they are Melanogaster cultures.
Please Help if you can
Thanks Dave

Philsuma

Hi Dave,

I'll take a break from helping a newbie with a question about mixing different species of frogs even before he got his first frog to help you.

If you don't get help quickly, your frogs may starve.

They are melanogaster - good. Are you 100% positive? May sound silly to ask but we gotta ask...

What is your temps around the cultures? Florida gets pretty warm right? Temps from 75 to 79F are best IMO.

What is your media compostion? Pre-made by a sponser or make -it-yerself?

What is the consistancy? It should be like applesause-ish.

When the new cultures are made, how do you use your founding stock? What age, size......? How many flies (estimate only please ) do you use to start each culture?

For quick help....try locating other members that live close by and see if they can spot you a culture and some advice. It may be as simple as an odd mail order variety of FF that somehow "doesn't do well in Florida". Stranger things have happened.

When you are making new FF cx.....try to make an extra 2, each with slightly different parameters. That way you will kick up your experimenting process until you resolve all the bad issues.

Please post additional info when you can and as always,

Keep us posted.

Phil

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Heading down to CR / Panama the end of Nov. PM me if you are interested in going along.

Carlos Pineda

Wut up Dave! Believe it or not I swear on everything. I just last week had the same problem like U. I had mites and tossed 2 of my FF cultures. I luckily made 1 new culture that should be ready next week and is seperated from the old. This past Friday I immediately ordered 2 FF cultures from Joshs Frogs (great there by the way!). I received them today, fed my frogs. The cultures are blasting with FFs, so I had no problem.
Where did U get your culture from just out of curiosity?
Where in Florida do U live? If U are close 2 me I can give U one of my new cultures.
I live in Boynton Beach. I've been pretty successful w/ my FF cultures if it wasn't for the mites ( I am going to buy those mites sprays.) Perhaps I can help, let me know.

DendroDave

Hello guys,
Thanks for your response..well I live in the Tampabay area quite a ways from Boynton but thanks anyway Carlos, I should be ok now. I get my flies from Patrick at Saurian, I have no problem there, the problem is me since I had that mite problem that wiped me out. well phil I used to keep my cultures in my one viv frog room which is about 78 to 79 degrees then the mites, now the last two cultures I purchased(dated 4/26 ) I keep in the garage which is about 85 Degrees this time of year, but it will get hotter as the summer gets closer. I want to move my cultures back into the house but I'm waiting for a order of some insecticidal shelf paper from Black Jungle which it's taking them forever to ship, I placed the order 4/28 and I've sent them a note and even called them and left a message, still no response this the second time this has happen with them. Phil they are melanogaster flies I'm sure of that and the media I also get from Patrick. I was in the right track b4 those stupid mites. Starting 2 cultures every saturday, I had more flies than I needed and than BAM I'm wiped out. well Guys thanks for your imput it is greatly appreciated.
Thanks Dave
Oh by the way I ordered 2 more cultures from FlyCafe - The World's Best Fruit Fly Cultures - Fruit Flies for Sale. just to check them out,
have you ever ordered from them?

Philsuma

ok.

Thing about mites.....

1. They are almost always present.
2. They are grain mites. The ride in on grain and grain like products - oatmeal, cereal,dry potatoes.
3. They do not suck the blood out of FF. Predatory mites, like reptiles mites are a whole different story and they are dark / red in color.
4. After 4 weeks, almost ANY culture will start to become infested with mites.
5. Mites will not hurt the frogs. Frogs will even eat mites.


I always....

1. Seperate my cultures. Never allow them to touch.
2. Always keep them on fresh blue mite paper. Every month or so, I lay down a new paper on top of the old.
3. Try not to use an old culture to make a new one. Mites will get into the new one by riding on the FF bodies. Ever see a FF walk funny and seem to be itchy? Mites are on it's body. Not killing it.....just crawling on it.

Try to start making your own cultures.

The local Publix has ALL the stuff you need and your cultures should cost you less than 40 cents each !

Reuse the plastic cups and BAM.......I personally haven't paid for a single cup or FF in years and I was making @ 20 cultures every week.

Here's Jerry Tressler from Margate (Lauderdale) Florida who is VERY good with FF and all their related supplies. I highly reccomend him.

http://www.jtresser.com/drosophila.html

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Heading down to CR / Panama the end of Nov. PM me if you are interested in going along.

DendroDave

Thanks Phil, that mite info was very helpful and that web site with the vials and the blue media reminds me of a company I used to buy flies from about 9 or 10 years ago when I used to keep darts then. this is the first supplier that I've seen used that color media since then.
Thanks Again.
Dave

Philsuma

You are welcome Dave. Glad I could be of assistance.

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Heading down to CR / Panama the end of Nov. PM me if you are interested in going along.

Carlos Pineda

Mr. Phil! the info. was very helpful and interesting to me as well, thanks again.

Philsuma

No problem my SoFl brother !

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Heading down to CR / Panama the end of Nov. PM me if you are interested in going along.

Froggy

Hi Guys, I'm in South Florida as well. Very close to you Carlos. What specific types of PDF's are you raising? I've raised RETF's but I am in the process of preparing a tank for tincs in the near future. I'm brand new to the forum and did not intend to hijack the thread. Just wanted to touch base with neighbors/fellow frog enthusiasts. Thanks!