Mold :/

[keithjmc]

I read that vinegar is good at preventing mold in a fruit fly culture. It seems that this is not true or I did not use enough. Is yeast the best thing to prevent it? I didn't have any on hand when I was making the cultures.

Also, If I make a new culture can I use the flies from the ones that have mold? Feed them to the mantids or do I have to throw them away?

 

[Rick]

I don't think I have ever had mold in a ff culture. I use commerical medium which has mold inhibitor already added in. I think you can buy it seperate too.

 

[Katnapper]

I read that vinegar is good at preventing mold in a fruit fly culture. It seems that this is not true or I did not use enough. Is yeast the best thing to prevent it? I didn't have any on hand when I was making the cultures.Also, If I make a new culture can I use the flies from the ones that have mold? Feed them to the mantids or do I have to throw them away?

I'm thinking maybe you didn't use quite enough vinegar... but we don't know how much you used in proportion to the water. But I'm also thinking bacteria from the yeast might feed off the mold? I don't really remember how that works, so that part could be way off base!

But I don't see any reason you can't use the flies from a moldy culture... either for making new cultures or for feeding.

 

[PhilinYuma]

I'm thinking maybe you didn't use quite enough vinegar... but we don't know how much you used in proportion to the water. But I'm also thinking bacteria from the yeast might feed off the mold? I don't really remember how that works, so that part could be way off base! But I don't see any reason you can't use the flies from a moldy culture... either for making new cultures or for feeding.

Me neither. Mantises eat a lot worse than mold in the wild (insects covered in mites and full of parasites).

Use a tablespoonfull (15ccs) of vinegar or so. It might be that the yeast (why didn't you use it?) outcompetes the mold, but I think that an overly runny medium causing a high humidity in the pot may have been to blane.

A lot of folks on this forum complain that they can't tip a pot of mels into an enclosure because the medium will run out. Simple solution. Make the medium thicker!

 

[Katnapper]

I think I use more vinegar than that... though I'm not sure, as I make one big batch in a large measuring cup/bowl and then just spoon/distribute it out into the culture cups. I use about 1 1/2 cups vinegar to 6 1/2 cups water... then add media until I get to the right consistency. Have never had mold yet. But I've never not used yeast either.

 

[jacksun]

I think I use more vinegar than that... though I'm not sure, as I make one big batch in a large measuring cup/bowl and then just spoon/distribute it out into the culture cups. I use about 1 1/2 cups vinegar to 6 1/2 cups water... then add media until I get to the right consistency. Have never had mold yet. But I've never not used yeast either.

Becky, in my understanding yeast starts the fermenting of the medium, which the flies love. Vinegar prevents mold from forming during the fermentation process. I use 1 Tbsp of white vinegar to 6oz of applesauce, seems about right so far.

 

[PhilinYuma]

Becky, in my understanding yeast starts the fermenting of the medium, which the flies love. Vinegar prevents mold from forming during the fermentation process. I use 1 Tbsp of white vinegar to 6oz of applesauce, seems about right so far.

The ffs love the vinegar, too! Hence the name "vinegar flies!"

 

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[SIZE=14pt]Now what kind of mold? I'v never had any of the fuzzy molds, but there are the dry powder molds that I have had grow but they dont do much but dry the mix out so to stop it what I do is speed things up by puting some maggets in there it helps to speed thing up.[/SIZE]