Fruit Flies

[etheonut]

With our air conditioning still not working it got pretty hot in our house. As a result, I believe, my fruit fly cultures crashed. Did any of the cultures I brought to the last meeting survive? I know Kenna's did not, but I can't remember who else got one.

Kevin

[pinkrblu]

I think Sundance took the other one. Here's hoping his made it and he can bring cultures. If not, does Michael have some?

[dennysfishroom]

In case anyone is interested, I do have the regular "lab" bottles for fruit flies with a sponge top, or a 32oz plastic deli container with the fruit fly breather top. Email me if you want prices and want to have me bring them to the next meeting. These can be reused. You may have to give me a little notice since I think they may be in storage, and if so, I'll have to go and look for them. I probably would like to get a culture, too. Denny

[Sundance]

I did get a culture, and I'm hoping they will be viable for the next meeting.

They are still in the original tupperware, so I'll bring that.

I've fed them off twice. My only fear is that on the last feeding, I spilled off almost all the adults. There were probably six left, though there were a bunch of larva stuck to the sides so? I won't feed them off again before the July meeting, so here's hoping.

Denny> Is this bottle you speak of for raising and feeding off the fly's? I could definitely use something to control the feeding. Please price that if you would, I may want to buy it. Also, I would like to buy a Daphnia culture from you if that's cool.

Thanks!

[Sundance]

I checked the culture today and it was teeming with adult flies. I put about a quarter inch of instant mashed potatoes into three clean sour cream containers, and capped them with coffee filters and rubber bands. Hopefully they'll all do well.

Let me state the obvious for those who are like me:
Don't try to set up new fruit fly cultures indoors, especially the kitchen. And if you do, don't tell your wife what you've done! (I think I caught them all. I think.)

[pinkrblu]

Mark and I have a great relationship when it comes to fishy stuff.....
Mark: "What 'cha got there?"
Me: "Ummm. Nothing."
Mark: "Is it for the fish?"
Me: "Yes."
Mark: "Ok....Is it alive? Never mind. I'll just leave it alone. Is it supposed to smell like that?"

[Sundance]

So last weekend I checked the new cultures. They all had larvae. Two had significant mold, and the original had a bunch of dead adults and dried shells.

That left one healthy looking culture. I mixed up three fresh containers of potatoes and spooned the healthy larvae into each new container. I don't know if they'll colonize by Saturday, but I will bring them anyway.

I've had some fun with the experience. Video on my blog:

http://sundancetr.blogspot.com/