Noticed some mold in my terrarium

[Gage]

Hi all,

So in checking my WTFs' 10 gallon tank for droppings, I noticed the base of the branch that I placed in the substrate has some loose white mold growing there. I am going to remove it in the morning, but is this normal surrounding plant life? The substrate is Eco Earth Coconut Fiber, and the branch (which was dead and taken from my back yard) was placed in the terrarium about 12-13 days ago. The tank is fairly humid (between 60% and 70%, occasionally up to 80% during certain times of day).

Any steps I need to take prior to adding things to prevent this? Is it OK? Are there measures for spore treatment that I should be taking now?

Thanks!

[deranged chipmunk]

Depends on the mold. Some insects leave pods in the soil and on plants that look like mold. Can you take a pic?

[Gage]

It is the white there at the base of the branch. I washed the branch off, but did not bake it or boil it. I am assuming that's the cause, and that something was alive in it.

Also, one of my frogs is standing facing out of the tank with its nose against the glass. I have one frog that has nose rub (from before I got him), but this is the other. I heard it was from bacteria being present in the tank. Is this an early sign of a frog giving itself nose rub?

[deranged chipmunk]

It's hard to tell by looking at the pic on my phone, but is that branch green? It looks like it still has bark on it?

[HerpDerp]

I would definitely remove the branch and properly sterilize it. You never know what could be lurking in a branch from outside. With that being said, I've had white mold in my tank before. If it's humid enough mold can pop up on the substrate. The first time I saw it I removed it. The second time I saw it I left it until the morning but when I woke up the resident fungus gnats had eaten it all. I haven't had any mold since. I'm assuming the fungus gnats have something to do with my lack of mold.

[Gage]

Yeah the branch still has bark on it I believe. I will get that out and clean it ASAP. Duo these resident fungus gnats arise from the mold or what? I don't have gnats.

[HerpDerp]

I'm not 100% sure where they come from, but I already had them on most of my plants. Most people find them extremely irritating because they fly around and they look like fruit flied. But since they discovered my vivarium they seem to stick to that. I have noticed that plants from Lowes and Home depot seem to always have fungus gnats.

[deranged chipmunk]

ok, sorry for the dealy, but i wanted to send that pic to my plant guru (yes Michelle, even i need a guru..lol) we both seem to thing it is from the branch decomposing. make sure any wood you add is dead and dry. you may get some white, soft , fuzzy fungus higher up on the wood, that's normal. what you had there wasn't

as Michelle said, most plants you will get from the big box stores will most likely come with gnats. fact of life. it's why i started keeping at least one carnivorous plant in all my tanks now

[deeishealthy]

Carnivorous? As in a Venus fly trap??

[deranged chipmunk]

close Dee. drosera spatulata 'frasier island form' to be exact. sundew plants. tricky little buggers, carnivores are. but worth it in the long run

[Terrarium Supplies]

Phil, release an array of 'harmless' arthropods into the viv.
These will act as cleaners and will happily munch on all of the mold and frog waste. These include but are not limited to: springtails, tropical 'ghost' woodlice and European woodlice.

[deeishealthy]

Phil, release an array of 'harmless' arthropods into the viv.
These will act as cleaners and will happily munch on all of the mold and frog waste. These include but are not limited to: springtails, tropical 'ghost' woodlice and European woodlice.

WHY are you not in Canada!!! I cannot find a local supplier.

[Terrarium Supplies]

If you were closer I'd send you some to try out however they would probably perish in the cold. Another point to mention is that they also aid in providing a more 'natural' food selection. Woodlice are highly nutritional and will climb way up into the canopy top. Springtails on the otherhand will stay at ground level, consuming all mold, waste and nasty bacterial properties that could, if left too long become a problem to all inhabitants.

[deeishealthy]

The woodlice I can find in my backyard in the woodpile, although probably when it's warmer out... do they hibernate?. I used to play with them when I was a kid. Ya, weird, I know. It's the springtails I really want to find. I have a wicked ecosystem happening, and the bugs are the only thing missing.

[Terrarium Supplies]

I would strongly recommend not putting any local arthropod from your backyard as these could do more harm than good. Only takes a slight degree of contact with any form of pesticides to kill an amphibian.
In a vivaria, woodlices do not hibernate, nor do they lay dormant. They are very active grazers and will happily move in both daylight and twilight hours.... oh and one more thing Dee, no ecosystem is complete without any bugs!!

[deeishealthy]

no ecosystem is complete without any bugs!!

Agreed!