4 Species Fruit Fly Combo for Sale
This combo is a variety pack of four live fruit fly cultures in one box. It covers one larger fly and three small melanogaster-type strains, so you get a spread of sizes and colors. It leaves out the gliding Turkish strain, which makes it a good fit for keepers who prefer fully flightless flies. Each culture arrives in a 32oz cup with Super Swarm Media.
What Is in the Combo
You receive one culture of each of the following:
- Hydei, the larger fly at around 4mm, for bigger animals.
- Melanogaster, the small flightless fly at around 3mm, for tiny animals.
- Golden, a golden, more visible melanogaster.
- Normal, a standard melanogaster in the usual color.
Which Combo Should You Pick?
This four-culture mix is the core set without the gliding strain. If you also want a fly that glides and draws a feeding response, the 5 species combo adds the Turkish Glider for about a dollar more. If you want feeder beetles too, the Complete Culture Collection adds bean beetles and rice flour beetles.
Honest Note on the Combo
This is one culture of each strain, not a pack of several per type. All fruit flies are low in calcium, so dust every strain with a supplement such as TC Calcium Ultra Fine before feeding.
Producing times vary, since melanogaster is faster and Hydei is slower. Each culture also rises, peaks, then fades over a few weeks. So stagger or reorder cultures to keep flies on hand.
Using Your Cultures
Care follows the same routine across the strains.
Starting and Feeding
Feed flies once you see them in a cup. If a culture is fresh, give it about 10 to 12 days, and give Hydei a little longer since it is slower.
Conditions
Keep cultures at a stable room temperature and out of direct sun. Keeping Hydei cool also helps the flightless flies stay grounded.
Harvesting and Dusting
Tap flies into a separate cup, then dust them with calcium and a multivitamin before feeding. Tapping the cup down keeps the flies from climbing out.
Best For
- Keepers with a range of animal sizes, from tiny to larger.
- Keepers who want variety but prefer fully flightless flies.
- Dart frog keepers who want dietary variety.
- Anyone building a steady, varied feeder rotation.
Not Best For
- Keepers who also want the gliding strain, who should choose the 5 species combo.
- Keepers who only need one strain, who should buy that single culture or its pack listing.
- Keepers who will not dust feeders, because all the flies are low in calcium.
Recommended Add-Ons
- TC Calcium Ultra Fine to dust every strain before feeding.
- 5 Species Fruit Fly Combo to add the gliding Turkish strain.
- Complete Culture Collection to add bean beetles and rice flour beetles.
- Super Swarm Dry Fruit Fly Media to keep your cultures going.
- Springtails as a companion micro-feeder for dart frogs.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is included in the 4 species combo?
You get one live culture of each: Hydei, Melanogaster, Golden, and Normal. Each comes in a 32oz cup with media.
How is it different from the 5 species combo?
The 5 species combo adds the Turkish Glider as a fifth culture, for about a dollar more. This combo includes the other four.
How is it different from the Complete Culture Collection?
The Complete Culture Collection adds bean beetles and rice flour beetles to the fly cultures.
Which fly is for which animal?
Hydei is larger, so it fits bigger animals. The other strains are around 3mm and fit smaller animals. Golden is easy to see against dark substrate.
Do I need to dust all of them?
Yes. Every strain is low in calcium, so dust each one with calcium and a multivitamin before feeding.
How long do the cultures last?
Each rises, peaks, then fades over a few weeks. So stagger or reorder cultures to keep a steady supply.
Learn More About Fruit Flies
These sources cover the biology of the fruit flies in this combo.
- eLife: The Secret Lives of Drosophila Flies. A peer-reviewed look at the natural history of Drosophila, the genus behind these feeders.
- How and Why Drosophila Became a Model Organism. A review of the fast life cycle and prolific breeding that make these flies easy to culture.
- ScienceDirect: Gut Loading (veterinary overview). A reference on why feeder insects need supplementation, which supports dusting every strain before feeding.
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