4-24 and mold

[Alan C. Christensen, Ph.D.]

There have been a few comments about Carolina Biological Supplies Formula
4-24 Instant Fly Food and mold.  I used this food for several years and
found that making it up with 0.5% propionic acid rather than water really
helped.  The flies didn't seem to mind.  When the food gets gray, it is
likely bacteria.  Once in a while that would happen, and we added a
cocktail of penicillin, streptomycin and tetracycline to the water used to
make the media.  Usually doing that for one round of turning would take
care of the problem.

*****************************************************************
* Alan C. Christensen, Ph.D.          "...there are those rare  *
* School of Biological Sciences        characters who study the *
* University of Nebraska               unknown product of an    *
* Lincoln, NE 68588-0118               unknown gene.  These we  *
* Phone 402-472-0681                   call lunatics."          *
* FAX 402-472-2083                            -Sidney Brenner   *
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