When to throw out ff culture

[Mikey1two]

Ok, so i put together a basic ff culture of hydei.
I used potato flakes sugar and some yeast all mixed with a 50/50 of water and vineger. This gave me a look much like mashed potatos.

What colors should i look out for and what colors are ok.
Ive read elsewhere that green and blue is alright...to an extent.
My mix has turned a brownish green. My first flies are emerging and id like to know if they are safe to feed my quads. I smelt the mix (i know!) and it smelt much of the same as a store bought ff culture. Only difference is color, most likely from being a different recipe.
Thanks
Mikey

 

[Mikey1two]

Anybody raising fruit flys?

 

[Seeco]

How long ago did you make it?

 

[laurie]

I am easy, if they produce I feed the fly's off. never had a problem yet. I keep at least 3 ff's cultures going at all times as I have williamsi geckos.

 

[eriksorg]

Also you can add some cinnamon to your above mix to help with any smell as the culture matures...

 

[Duke]

I raise both Hydei and Malanogaster. I will say that the Hydeis take forever compared to the Malanogaster. Nice to have the big flies, but there is a reason most people seem to have Melanogaster and I'm pretty sure it is the time thing. Once a culture has started producing I do not keep it longer than a month. I have read that this will help stay ahead of the parasitic mite infestation that always seems to plague FFs. I don't know what to say about the color thing. Mine don't get psychedelic like that. I mostly worry about them drying out. I also keep them on paper towels that have been sprayed with bird mite spray to help control the mite problem.

 

[Duke]

I forgot to mention, that seems like boat loads of vinegar. ? 50/50

 

[EvilLost]

I just buy commercial media as I find it easier and its pretty cheap in bulk but it does look like a brownish paste when its ready


it will typically last around 1 month, but you can ttell as the larva when fresh are white, and turn orangish/black after they hatch. if the entire container is filled with orangish/black shells and no more new white larva and no living FF's ...trash it

 

[Mikey1two]

Ive had it going for about 2 weeks and the first of the larva turned fly the last few days.

 

[Seeco]

That's pretty young. Should be ok. You can actually see the mites we are talking about. When I get a bit of fungus in there I just add a bit of water and swirl it around.

Ya 50/50 vinegar is unnecessarily high.

 

[Mikey1two]

started a new culture with less vinegar and some cinnamon. used flies from old culture to knock up new culture.
Thanks for all the input!
Mikey