Reptile & Amphibian Forums

how do you supplement and what do you use to dust the tiny flies ...
also what type of lighting is the best to use with uv or without??

I alternate among three or four different reptile vitamin powders, with a sprinkle of paprika for the frogs with yellows and reds. One of the powders contains only the calcium supplements, Ca, D3, A and C with no phosphates, just to amend a possible calcium/phosphate dis-ratio for amphibians. Since there isn't enough evidence for exactly what darts require as minimum daily requirement, it's all guess work. I buy new powders about every 9 months or so, as there are no expiration dates on reptile vitamins and they probably deteriorate with time.

I just sprinkle a little in the bottom of a deli-cup, tap the flies into this and swish them around until they pick it up, then carefully tap and "jump" them out into the tank so I'm not flinging the excess powder all over the plants and tank. The frogs will lap up the first loaded flies that enter rather rapidly. Later, they will hunt for the excess flies that escape them at first, which have shed the powder, so not all of the flies they eat are dusted. I dust with every feeding, although others will recommend once or twice a week. The main chance of vitamin excess is the fat soluable vitamin A, which can cause problems with liver damage (because that's where it it stored too efficiently) if given in excess. While paprika has carotenes that can be metabolized to vitamin A, this isn't efficiently metabolized to A and there is a feed back mechanism in the gut, so only what they need is turned into vitamin A. The excess carotenes are stored in cell lipids (fat cells under the dermis and to a lesser extent in the lipids of the dermis and epidermis) which enhances the yellow and red colors.

There's a broad range or protocols which work just as well for different people. It's not yet an exact science.
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Patty
Lost River, Idaho

4 D. auratus blue
3 D. galactonotus pumpkin orange splash back
5 D. imitator
4 D. leukomelas
4 D. pumilio Bastimentos

I forgot to answer your second question. I don't think the light matters much to fly culture, per se. I have kept mine in just the light from the room to in a cupboard in the dark, without any discernable difference in their reproduction, but have never lighted them with UV lamps. These just might enhance some of their nutrient value, help keep the culture from getting contaminated with fungi, but don't seem to be essential to fly culture in general.
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Patty
Lost River, Idaho

4 D. auratus blue
3 D. galactonotus pumpkin orange splash back
5 D. imitator
4 D. leukomelas
4 D. pumilio Bastimentos

Although i havent dusted one FF yet heres my plan.

take one deli cup and cut the bottom out of it. and attach panty house or some fine mesh (so flies cant escape through the bottom but the supplement can).

Holg that cup with a hole in the bottom inside another UNCUT cup. tap the FFs into the cup with the mesh bottom. add the supplements and swirl. Once they are properly coated lift up the cup a little and tap or swirl until the extra supplement is no longer in that cup and drop the flys into the tank.

this is all in theory and i have yet to try it. hopefully it works good
aj
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kungfu28181: My god. You are insane. -Mon Jun 30 21:41:05