Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I would really appreciate it if anyone could describe their system of keeping a steady supply of fruitflies. When I first got my 9 frogs I got a couple of cultures to go with them. I started new ones from them but they had not started producing by the time I needed more. I ordered more (fruitflies.net has incredible fruitflies) anyway, I started new cultures from those. Now my first ones are producing and to make a long story short, everyone on this forum could bring their frogs over to my house for a party, and there would be plenty of food
I need to figure out a good system that would keep a steady supply on hand so that I neither run short at times or am overloaded.
Thanks so much.
Rhonda

I have 9 frogs, and make 2 cultures a week. Now that maybe low for some people, but I get really good production out of mine. I really only need one, but make 2 to be safe. I think the best thing is to make a set amount each week, and DO NOT MISS A WEEK.
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Kyle
www.kylesphotos.com
Dart Links - still a work in progress
1.2.0 D. leucomelas
1.1.0 D. azureus
1.0.1 D. imitators
0.0.2 D. ventrimaculatus

I have upwards of 40 frogs now, and I don't like to be without massive amounts of food at any one time. I set up 20 cultures every weekend from the batch I made two weeks prior to that. This should be the first big hatch that batch makes, which are the best flies to start new cultures. This is how I set up melanogaster cultures, hydei are a bit different. The three keys to success in culturing flies is

1. Setting up cultures with freshly hatched flies from a young culture

2. Never missing a week when setting up cultures(to echo what kyle said in the previous post)

3. Never let you cultures go unharvested for too long or they will crash due to overproduction and you will have a ton of useless larvae in rotting culture media.

My method is a bit more intricate than that, if you want the full proceedure, let me know.
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2.4.0 D. azureus
0.0.8 P. bicolor
0.0.7 D. auratus (polka-dot)
0.0.3 D. auratus (blue)
0.0.4 D. auratus (kahlua and cream)
0.0.3 D. auratus (El Cope aka Giant Turquoise)
0.0.5 D. tinctorius (Interalanis)

Shannon

>>I have upwards of 40 frogs now, and I don't like to be without massive amounts of food at any one time. I set up 20 cultures every weekend from the batch I made two weeks prior to that. This should be the first big hatch that batch makes, which are the best flies to start new cultures. This is how I set up melanogaster cultures, hydei are a bit different. The three keys to success in culturing flies is
>>
>>1. Setting up cultures with freshly hatched flies from a young culture
>>
>>2. Never missing a week when setting up cultures(to echo what kyle said in the previous post)
>>
>>3. Never let you cultures go unharvested for too long or they will crash due to overproduction and you will have a ton of useless larvae in rotting culture media.
>>
>>My method is a bit more intricate than that, if you want the full proceedure, let me know.
>>-----
>>2.4.0 D. azureus
>>0.0.8 P. bicolor
>>0.0.7 D. auratus (polka-dot)
>>0.0.3 D. auratus (blue)
>>0.0.4 D. auratus (kahlua and cream)
>>0.0.3 D. auratus (El Cope aka Giant Turquoise)
>>0.0.5 D. tinctorius (Interalanis)
>>
>>Shannon

I have hydeii I think, the flies are this long ! (the size of the!), and their eyes are red...
so what I do is set up a culture every other day, add flies from new cultures and some from old cultures. that way i get a good supply of flies, so far i mean.
its nice to finally be able to help someone lol, instead of asking all the questions
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spectabilis.crosswinds.net-dart frog area added as soon as i can find password!
www.geocities.com/Spectabilis73-can't update this one

Thanks so much for the replies. Yes, Shannon, I would love to have the details of your methods. You can email if you would like.
Thanks again.
Rhonda