Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Does anyone use yeast on thier fly culture media when they set it up? I just started doing it because I've lost a few cultures to mold. The theory I think is that the yeast outcompetes any mold spores that might be present. The funny thing is that the yeast has completely covered the media surface and kind of looks like mold anyway. Is this normal?

That is too much yeast. Only use a pinch. The yeast will make the mix soupy. There is a how-to article on my website that shows how I make cultures. Does your media have a mold inhibitor in it? If not, you need to cut your water in half and use vinegar to make up the difference.
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Josh Willard
www.joshsfrogs.com

Yes, the media has mold inhibitor in it. I never heard of using vinegar - I will check out your website. I was using a a media w/o inhibitor and not using yeast and cultures would mold in about about a week after hatching. Thought I'd try the yeast trick (Black Jungle) - dissolve a little & put a tsp on top of the reconstituted media. Thanks, I'll look at your site.

I just use the media and deli-cups from Saurian, add tap water from my well, a sprinkle of yeast, a toilet paper tube stuffed with excelsior, (to give more places for the larvae to pupate on,) cut a quarter sized piece out of the plastic top, add the flies and put it down over a piece of heavy paper towel, which I replace if it gets damp or the larvae invade it. I have never had molds, just discard the whole thing after about a month or so when it is used up, and start a new culture every other day or so, only because I have a lot of frogs to feed. I alternate D. hydei with D. melanogaster, for either smaller or larger frogs. One can keep them in either a dark cupboard out of sight, although they do better in the open with light. When guests aren't expected, I put the newer cultures right on top of the vivarium light strips in the paludarium next to the kitchen, which gooses up production consierably. It has always amazed me that there is so much discussion about culturing fruit flies. You will get some molds of various kinds, of course, but not enough to inhibit or endanger the cultures. If one gets stinky, just toss it capped, and don't use it to propagate.
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Patty
Pahsimeroi, Idaho

4 D. auratus blue
5 D. galactonotus pumpkin orange splash back
5 D. imitator
6 D. leucomelas
4 D. pumilio Bastimentos
4 D. fantasticus
4 P. terribilis
4 D. reticulatus
4 D. castaneoticus