# Do fruit fly cultures always smell bad?



## peterspets (Dec 17, 2009)

I have some fruit fly cultures and some smell really horrible!Some do not seem to smell at all, can they go off? are the flies ok to give as food?


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## Jezza84 (Dec 9, 2009)

cultures don't smell pleasant. What media are you using? Or are they bought in cultures?


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## peterspets (Dec 17, 2009)

Hi, I am using one third potato flakes, two thirds ready brek, half a teaspoon of sugar, half a teaspoon of yeast and orange juice.


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## Graham (Jan 27, 2007)

Try cutting out the yeast, it shouldn't be neccessary and makes them stink.

I've had good results in the past just using a mix of Ready Brek (or own brand equivalent) and water, hardly smells at all and is reasonably productive, for a more productive culture add some ripe banana.


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## colinm (Sep 20, 2008)

The smell of the brewery and decomposition,every froggers house should smell that way. :2thumb:


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## chrism (Jul 5, 2007)

I just use readybreak. 

Good production, and virtually no smell.


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## sambridge15 (Nov 22, 2009)

i use halfwater viniger mixed with potatoe flakes and sprinkle on some yeast its not to bad.... fruit is what stinks cut out the juice tap water works beter


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## Alex M (May 28, 2008)

Yep, just readybrek and orange juice for me - i find it's a winner, and so simple.


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## Wolfenrook (Jul 2, 2010)

I use boiled water that has cooled until it's just hot, and ENT Instant culture media. You have to put your nose right in the culture to get even a hint of a smell, and production is absolutely fantastic.

Ade


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## morg (Jul 20, 2007)

This is definately the best method Ive used both for productivity, and lack of smell, although I have cut back on the potatoe flakes to just a teaspoon.
Drosophila
make sure you start cultures with plenty of flies , this will help keep the smell down


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## sphynxskin (Feb 6, 2008)

colinm said:


> The smell of the brewery and decomposition,every froggers house should smell that way. :2thumb:


:lol2: So true!

It may be that you are adding too much liquid. I make sure there is
always some dry mixture left at the bottom.


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## Genseric (Oct 7, 2007)

How do people get them out? Without hordes of them escaping?


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## Wolfenrook (Jul 2, 2010)

1) I do it stood on my back step, so that any that do escape aren't in my house.
2) I have a small plastic pot with a hole in the lid into which I push a large brewing funnel.
3) Put supplement into pot, put lid on and insert funnel.
4) Tap flies into funnel, tap them down into the pot if they cling on.

Job done, I then just give them a shake, and distribute into separate pots, 1 pot per viv I am feeding.

Ade


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## soundstounite (Sep 6, 2009)

We already have ffs living in our house and garden so what the heck, we grow too much grub, but you could put them in a cupboard,and rig up a aquarium pump to suck the smell out, tiny hole in da wall and SORTED


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## berksmike (Jan 2, 2008)

A good trap for escapees and wild types attracted to the cultures is to get a plastic container with a lid. Fill with vinegar and make a few holes in the lid (big enough for fruitflies to crawl in) then place in room. Soon sorts out any strays


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## soundstounite (Sep 6, 2009)

berksmike said:


> A good trap for escapees and wild types attracted to the cultures is to get a plastic container with a lid. Fill with vinegar and make a few holes in the lid (big enough for fruitflies to crawl in) then place in room. Soon sorts out any strays


cracking:2thumb: or don't quite drink all your wine, difficult i know but at least they drown happy:lol2:


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## Ron Magpie (Oct 11, 2009)

soundstounite said:


> cracking:2thumb: or don't quite drink all your wine, difficult i know but at least they drown happy:lol2:


Hah! Definitely a *last* resort! :devil:

Can't find that old recipe- I seem to remember it involved sweetened porridge and yeast, plus added vits- but I can't remember what the mould inhibitor was- I know it was supposed to be non-toxic.


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## berksmike (Jan 2, 2008)

You can get nigapin as a mould inhibitor but I always find a few tablespoons of vinegar in a batch keeps the mould at bay. Plus I microwave all my dry ingredients (except yeast of course) to kill off any grain mites and mould.


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## pollywog (Oct 6, 2005)

Potato Flakes & Oats tend to cause a smell, mostly the Oats more than the potato flakes. Bran works well as a non-smelling alternative.
With regards to yeast it's added to aid the maggots digestion of the media so is a good addition but you only need a very very small amount, if you add too much you will cause the media to ferment too quickly which will also cause it to smell more.


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