Wingless Fruit Flies
by Charles Drew
From the Monthly Bulletin of the Hamilton and District Aquarium Society
Aquarticles
Over the years I have had Wingless Fruit Flies on several occasions. The fruit fly is
an excellent food for many small surface-feeding fish, killies, pencilfish and hatchetfish
to name a few. The main drawback to my raising these flies has been the lack of
information and the cost and inconvenience of having to order the culture medium from a
laboratory supply. Through checking a number of sites on the web I have been able to come
up with a mixture of my own. The basic ingredient was always the same but the additives
made the difference. Also some mixtures had too much of some things and others not enough.
First is the container you should use. Any jar can do but the easiest is a one quart or
litre fruit jar or sealer. Put a piece of cloth over the top and screw on the ring and you
have a fully ventilated jar. Some recommend just punching holes in a jar lid but if the
holes are too big the wild winged type of flies (sometimes called banana buzzards) can get
in and your whole culture will take flight.
Second, get a piece of the plastic mesh that is used to do needle work on. This should
be cut into a strip that goes from the bottom to almost the top. This allows the flies to
get out of the culture medium and is much better than cardboard or popsicle sticks.
Third, you can buy almost every thing you need in the bulk food store. Pure Apple Cider
Vinegar, Brewers Yeast, Corn Flour, Granulated Sugar and Mashed Potato Flakes. Using a
measuring cup add 1/4 cup of the potato flakes, 2 teaspoons of the corn flour, 1 teaspoon
of the brewers yeast and a 1/4 teaspoon of sugar. Then add the apple cider vinegar in
small amounts until it becomes a paste with a smooth buttery texture. (The apple cider
vinegar is a mold inhibitor.)
Last, sterilize the jar with boiling water and put in your mixture. It should be about
¾ of an inch thick on the bottom. Tap the jar to spread it level. Next add the plastic
ladder. Using a funnel made by cutting the bottom off of a large plastic pop bottle I
shake about 30 flies into the new jar. In a few days tiny maggots can be seen on the sides
of the jar. As they grow, they go into pupae stage on the sides of the jar. A few more
days and they will come out as flies. A new culture can produce flies in as little as 12
days depending on temperature. Set up a new culture every few days and you will never run
out.
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