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The common housefly can be fed to fish, and the maggots are suitable as fishfood as well. They are especially suitable for surface fish and fish that have as a main food insects in nature, like Betta bellica or Carnegiella strigata. Other flies are also suitable.

In some countries it is prohibited to grow your own!
If growing your own isn't prohibited you can grow your own by placing a piece of meat or fish outside for a few days. After that place it in a jar and wait for the maggots to pupate. The newly hatched flies can then be fed. To get the maggots from the meat, place it under water, this will cause the maggots to leave the meat. To prevent flies from flying away the jar containing the flies can be placed in the refridgerator for 5 minutes. The low temperature will decrease the mobility of the flies, and stop them from flying away.

Flies can also be cultured by placing a few adults in a larger jar, filled with 75% oatmeal and 25% yeast and some water. The adults should be able to rest on some straw or rolls of paper.

Never use dead flies as a fishfood! They may have been killed with chemicals, like an insect pen, and can be poisonous to fish!

References: Sterba, G. et al.(1981): Encyclopedie van de Aquaristiek en de Ichtyologie. H. J. W. Becht's Uitgeversmaatschappij bv, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.

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