# General Topics > Food, Feeders, Live, Frozen, Culturing, etc >  Looking good..

## awelcome

I think!  My M. FF cultures started on August 1st with supplies from NeHerp and my two store bought cultures I've been feeding from.  One is producing a bit better than the other, but I put a few more flies to start in that one.... good thing too because my other two are getting lower each day and I was starting to fear these wouldn't be ready in time.  When should I start being able to feed from these, and when would be a good time to take from them (or perhaps my older two when I can start feeding from these) to make the next two?  I was surprised to see such progress in only a week though! Thanks.

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## Lynn

> I think!  My M. FF cultures started on August 1st with supplies from NeHerp and my two store bought cultures I've been feeding from.  One is producing a bit better than the other, but I put a few more flies to start in that one.... good thing too because my other two are getting lower each day and I was starting to fear these wouldn't be ready in time.  When should I start being able to feed from these, and when would be a good time to take from them (or perhaps my older two when I can start feeding from these) to make the next two?  I was surprised to see such progress in only a week though! Thanks.


Yes... looks good. Some species of fruit flies will culture faster than others.

Drosophila melanogaster go faster and are small...suitable for froglets, smaller PDF species
 (thumbnail species , O pumilio )

Drosophila Hydei - take longer to culture- are the largest ( of those typically cultured ) and are best for many adult PDFs species

You'll get the hang of it !  :Smile: 

What ever you do !! Don't run out !!!!!!!
You want to --ALWAYS-- be prepared for a crash ! 

I would not waste ( newly hatched) flies  ----> by adding them to an existing culture.
Simply make a new one ..... It's always better to have extra cultures !

Study all you can about the life span of fruit flies:
Fruit Fly Metamorphosis: Life Cycle & Phases of Fruit Flies

Little tip: Use a sharpie magic marker to date and species/label  your FF containers  :Smile: 

 :Butterfly:

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## Paul

It takes Melanogaster about 2 weeks to start producing. Your frog is probably big enough to move onto the bigger flies. The main perk to the bigger flies is it takes less to feed them  :Smile: . Next time you order pick up one Hydei culture from neherp or Joshsfrogs and start culturing that. You can use the same NeHerp media you already have with the Hydei. I make mine from it and they do good with it.

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