# General Topics > Food, Feeders, Live, Frozen, Culturing, etc >  FF culture question

## awelcome

I have one culture, premade and purchased from the pet store.  I've been feeding my cobalt tinc from it the past week, and she eats a LOT.  I noticed that, though there were a good number of larvae in there, the number of flies might have already been dwindling a little (had her a week).  I plan to likely get a kit to start culturing my own, but in the meantime I decided it might be beneficial to buy a second premade culture to switch back and forth and give them more time to reproduce and mature between feedings.  So I picked up a second one tonight, but who knows how long it was on the shelf and it's OVERRUN with FF's.... like when I open it they come pouring out.  I did try to dump a bunch into the first culture to even them out a bit, but it's still crazy.  I was curious if there is any potential issue with having one so overcrowded, like if it would crash or something?  I am not looking forward to feeding from that jar tomorrow because so many get out when I open it I am going to have to clean up each time, but hoping it will somehow dwindle down to a more manageable amount.

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## Paul

No it won't cause any issues, there is a technique to opening FF cultures to stop the vast majority of escapees. Follow these easy steps. (I will make a video for this tomorrow and post it up on my youtube channel (link in my signature).

1. Have a bowl or cup ready for FF (this means it has supplement powder in it already and is clean---- Wash with hot water and use no soap. Rinse with Dechlorinated water)

2. Tap the FF culture on the bottom several times (fairly hard the goal is to knock all the FF to the bottom

3. Open culture and start tapping it on the side of the feeding cup

4. Once enough flies are in the feeding cup tap the bottom of the FF culture to knock them back down and put the lid back on quick. 

5. Gently shake the feeding cup to coat the ff wight he supplement. (this will also make them to heavy to climb

6. tap the feeding cup in the tank to deposit ff for frog.


The cup actually works best is it is pretty deep. This will help you maximize the time you have to get the FF culture sealed back up before the files climb out of the cup. Another thing you could add is to tap the feeding cup on the counter or table while tapping the ff culture on the cup. This will continuously knock the ff to the bottom of the feeding cup. After a few tries you will be a pro at it.


Culturing you own FF is the way to go. It is WAY cheaper than paying $9.99 or so per culture. The same site I sent you links to for wood and Springtails NeHerp has some pretty amazing FF media. Get a 5Lb bag of the FF media and 25 or more Deli cups with vented lids. Also get some excelsior (they sale it in various sizes. I would recommend getting the box of it. It will last forever and is the best bang for your buck.

I plan on making a "How to make FF culture" video as well and posting it... Might do that tomorrow too. I use the Neherp media so you can see how I do it with their media. My cultures produce a crazy amount with the NeHerp media.

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## awelcome

Thanks, that sounds like exactly how I do it now lol.  This one is just super crazy full.  I had to push the excelsior down a little because it was almost at the top probably adding to the problem.  Anyway.... I will probably eventually venture into making my own from scratch.  I have actually already started researching.  But to start I was thinking of getting this kit... seems less daunting without so MUCH of everything lol.

 It's the same company/type I have been feeding it now, and it has great reviews.  Amazon.com : The Fruit Fly Company Flightless Fruit Fly Starter Kit : Pest Controlling Insects : Pet Supplies 

I am thinking about getting some mite paper though.... I think I saw some on my original culture lid tonight.  Don't really want them all over my house, and I haven't quite figured out the best place to keep the cultures yet.  Right now I have them in a shoe box with holes cut for more venting and I just cleaned out a spot in my under the stairs closet for it.  I wanted a place that would have good temps, but also a place not near other things I cared too much about because of mites and stuff rofl.

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## Paul

The mites won't hurt anything else in your house. They are after the FF food. Mites are the enemy though. They will infest your cultures and out compete your FF for food causing the culture to crash.

if you suspect one culture of having mites keep it away from the other culture or you will find yourself out of flies with a hungry frog!

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