# hatching fishing maggots



## botanyguy (Jan 30, 2008)

Hi Group,
I hope someone can help.
I have been trying to hatch out fishing maggots into flies.

I am using the pink ones from UK fishing shops.
They are very active when I purchase them.
I keep them in vermiculite or without anything added.

I keep them at 27 degC but all that happens is they slow down and die.
None of them pupate. Very few even start to pupate.

I did not feed my first batch, and they all died.

I have tried feeding them with bacon but they do not seem hungry.
I had assumed they would need feeding.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

With regards
botanyguy


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## daisyleo (Nov 23, 2006)

When I did this twice in the summer last year my first go was very successful, I seperated them into jars and used old tights to make lids and elastic banded them on.
Within a cpl of days all of them hatched and my chams thought it was xmas lol
My second batch I did the same but kept two jars indoors and put the others in the side entry to keep them cooler and try and delay them from all hatching at the same time.
This lot was useless, now I had done the same thing jar wise so I can only think they weren't warm enough the second time so failed to hatch at all.
I only got a few hatch from the ones that were indoors too


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## Fill (Nov 24, 2007)

When I get maggots (white) from the fishing shop I just split them up into smaller quantities and put them in empty cricket tubs. Then I just leave them at room temp and they turn into flies in about 2 weeks.


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## botanyguy (Jan 30, 2008)

Hello daisyleo,

Many thanks for your quick reply. I was interested to hear of your successes and failures! The temperature might be key but perhaps it was the maggot types too. Perhaps they were not fed enough before you got them?
I have read that the temperature needs to be high so that is why I kept mine at 27degC.
My batches have just died in droves.
I will subdivide next time, as that might help.
Thanks


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## botanyguy (Jan 30, 2008)

Phil1988,

Thanks for your help.
You seem to have done something right...and really simply too.
Guess it is difficult to know why mine did not hatch.
Thanks.


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## pecks (Dec 29, 2007)

They sour quickly if their are two many in a container, ask for castors, maggots already pupated. My shop will let me pick these out of the maggots. Time cinsuming but then a have very little of a life!


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## fishboy (Aug 7, 2007)

I take it you mean "pinkies" and not normal maggots that have been dyed pink?


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## botanyguy (Jan 30, 2008)

Thanks pecks for your help.
I was wondering about density, that seems a good suggestion.
They sure seem to sour, so perhaps I need to subdivide them into smaller numbers next time.
I have asked for castors but unfortunately the small local shop does not stock them.


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## botanyguy (Jan 30, 2008)

Thanks fishboy for your help.
The fish shop could not tell me if they were dyed maggots or those of the greenbottle fly which I understand are also called pinkies.
You undoubtedly will know more than myself on this subject.
My suspicion is they are dyed as they are the same size as the white ones I bought 4 weeks earlier.


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## 955i (Aug 17, 2007)

Bear in mind that the transition from maggot to fly uses up all their nutrition reserves so if you feed them straight away they will be no use to your animals.

Also fishing maggot producers put additives in for colouring ets which may be present in the fly and may not be the best for your herps. Check what is used before using them as a feeder.


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## fishboy (Aug 7, 2007)

botanyguy said:


> Thanks fishboy for your help.
> The fish shop could not tell me if they were dyed maggots or those of the greenbottle fly which I understand are also called pinkies.
> You undoubtedly will know more than myself on this subject.
> My suspicion is they are dyed as they are the same size as the white ones I bought 4 weeks earlier.


ok pinkies are a lot smaller. If they are the same size as the greenbotle maggots then they are died and should *definitely not* be used for feeders : victory:. Normal whites should be ok.


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## pecks (Dec 29, 2007)

You could also get yourself a culture of curly wing flies from "Livefoods direct" i have used these, more hops than flies.


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## botanyguy (Jan 30, 2008)

Thanks Frogeye 1050,
I was interested to hear you tip about feeding the flies to keep them alive after hatching, as that is important to me. I want to use the flies for plant pollination so no herps will be harmed! I propose feeding them fructose.
Thanks for the input.


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## botanyguy (Jan 30, 2008)

Thanks fishboy, 
That information was really useful, I now know how to identify what I have been buying. They must indeed have been dyed pink. Do not fear I will not be feeding the flies if I ever get any to hatch out.


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## botanyguy (Jan 30, 2008)

Thanks pecks, 
Livefoods direct certainly is an interesting site to explore.
Never knew it existed before.


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## marvindj (Feb 13, 2008)

Pinkies are indeed Greenbottle maggots. They are quite small and only very lightly pink, maggots of the Bluebottle are larger, say up to 1/2 inch long. BB maggots are white but come, pre dyed from the feed meat, in many colors, red being the most popular. I'm not sure what the dye is and if it could cause problems with reptiles. 

When you buy them from a tackle shop they have been kept in the fridge, this slows the metabolism down so they dont pupate so quickly. If left in a garage or cool place they will turn into Casters (pupae) which are a reddish brown colour (Irrespective of the dye) and have a harder shell, they are immobile. Inside this the new fly is developing. 

Now then, as the fly develops inside gasses begin to be formed, therefore they will float/ Fishermen dont like the floaters as they get carried away wioth the current and draw the fish off. Therefore if you want to be feeding more nutritious food you want the floaters.
Depending on the time of year the process of turning from maggot to pupa can take from a day or two to weeks. Anglers would normally run the maggots through a fishing sieve, daily, leaving the inert casters on top. They are then put into an airtight plastic bag to arrest further developmen and reduce the floaters.

The maggots dont need any further feeding when you buy them from a tackle shop, at that point they are fully grown. They crawl out of the meat feed when ready and thats how the breeders gather them.

They should be kept dry in sawdust and cool. Too much heat makes them sweat and then go all slimy and really stink. fresh maggots should smell of amonia (a bit like piss) if they are really horrible thne they are dying

Hope this hasnt put you off your dinner


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