5 Species Fruit Fly Combo for Sale
This combo is a variety pack of five live fruit fly cultures in one box. It covers one larger fly and four small melanogaster-type strains, so you get a spread of sizes, colors, and feeding behavior. Because of that range, it suits keepers with mixed collections who want to match the fly to the animal. Each culture arrives in a 32oz cup with Super Swarm Media. In short, it is the easy way to keep variety on hand.
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.
- Turkish Glider, a melanogaster strain that glides rather than flies.
Why a Variety Pack?
A mix gives you options. The larger Hydei fits bigger frogs and juveniles, while the small strains fit tiny animals. The golden fly is easy to see against dark substrate, and the Turkish Glider moves enough to draw a feeding response. So you can match the fly to each animal and find which strains your collection prefers and which produce best in your conditions.
Honest Note on the Combo
This is one culture of each strain, not a pack of several per type. All fruit flies are also 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 before feeding. Keep a lid handy, especially for the Turkish Glider, which can glide.
Best For
- Keepers with a range of animal sizes, from tiny to larger.
- Dart frog keepers who want dietary variety.
- Keepers who want to trial strains and see which work best.
- Anyone building a steady, varied feeder rotation.
Not Best For
- Keepers who only need one strain, who should buy that single culture or its pack listing.
- Keepers who also want feeder beetles, who may prefer the Complete Culture Collection.
- 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.
- 4 Species Fruit Fly Combo for the same mix without the Turkish Glider.
- 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 5 species combo?
You get one live culture of each: Hydei, Melanogaster, Golden, Normal, and Turkish Glider. Each comes in a 32oz cup with media.
How is it different from the 4 species combo?
This combo adds the Turkish Glider as the fifth culture. The 4 species 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, for an even broader feeder mix.
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, and Turkish glides.
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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