best way to “handle” live wingless fruit flys for feeding fish…

[Magnum Man32 146]

I ordered my 1st ever cup of them… just curious how you hold them between feedings, add them to the tanks, and not have them invade your house???

I see they come in a cup, that looks like you pop the top, and 100’s come out … my 1st thoughts for storage is a jar, with some sort of shaker or funnel dripping type cap… maybe a gallon jug with some sort of reduced size cap… I assume they are highly active so a shake over an open topped tank seems easiest… but curious the method used to store them and feed them used by those that do???

 

[Rusty_Shackleford31 146]

I think the easiest way to feed them is to cool them and render them inactive.
Ideally you would have another cup with the fabric lid. If you are going to get another culture of fruit flies don't throw out this cup and lid. In the meantime you can use any container that has a lid.
You'll probably notice that most of the fruit flies congregate around the top of the cup. Just give the cup a little shake and they will fall towards the bottom. Take the lid off and tap a few dozen or however many you plan to feed into your second container. The tapping is key so you can control the amount of flies and they don't run out everywhere. Replace the lid on the culture.
Tap your second container so the flies fall to the bottom. Place them in the refrigerator for a couple of minutes. You'll have to experiment for the correct time for your fridge. Usually 2-3 minutes is sufficient. Start with 2 minutes and check before you proceed. The cold is just enough to slow the flies down and put them to sleep. They slept long enough I could feed several tanks of frogs before they started waking up.
When they woke and started moving they would buzz their wings, would would probably attract hungry fish.

It takes some practice, trial and error, but for me this has been the best method to feed fruit flies.

Also don't throw out that used culture right away. You may get a second hatch.

 

[Jennet11 69]

Cut a cross in the top of your culture lid, or pour all product into a clean takeaway cup that already has a cross in top. Cut a straw in half and stuff top of one half with a bit of cotton wool and make a small vertical cut in bottom half of same straw. Put other half of straw in cup holding culture and press cut part of straw that has cotton wool at top into bottom straw. Forgot to add, smear cotton wool with a little mushed up fruit of some kind. When you need to take out fruit flies just remove top half of straw, put second piece of cotton wool at top of one in culture, whilst you take top part straw to feed fish. Just shake or knock flies out of straw into where you want them to go. Job done. Reverse to put straw back where originally was until next time.

Also really easy to make your own cultures doing containers the same way. Transfer some fresh fruit flies from new culture into pre-ready pot which has repashy in bottom. This will start a new culture. Make and use as required.