My "build"

[DigitalPunk]

I put a thread up for this, but here is a link to the Fruit Fly video I did. Hope it helps some

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mjDyJo387fs

[awelcome]

someday maybe my questions will end.... or at least slow down.


I have noticed the leaf litter feels kind of slimy at times, and I see some fuzzy mold growing on parts as well. I know I have read that mold in the first couple weeks is normal, but is that the "normal mold" or something I should be concerned about? I haven't broken down the temp thing I was keeping the frog in that day I did the rebuild yet, and the leaf I had in there is completely fuzzy with what looks like cotton candy mold. It's to a much lesser degree in the viv, but I am starting ot see it on certain leaves that I can see the sides because they are propped up a bit.

[awelcome]

great video.... and a good feeling to see I do it the same way pretty much exactly!

[awelcome]

here is the leaf from that temp enclosure.... obviously an extreme case lol. But this is what it looks like. Nothing else in that enclosure (substrate, moss, and a few fake leaves) has any of this on it.

[deranged chipmunk]

Normal mold


Education is the most powerful weapon we can use to change the world ~ Nelson Mandela

[awelcome]

that's a relief! If it gets that severe in vivarium should I pull any leaves out though? What about the slimy texture on some?

[deranged chipmunk]

Nope. Just leave them. It will go away on it's own in a few weeks.


Education is the most powerful weapon we can use to change the world ~ Nelson Mandela

[awelcome]

even better! Thanks.

[awelcome]

I know I could technically make a new post in the plant section to ask this, but I kind of like having all my answers in one spot to keep checking at least for now since I have so many questions. It gets confusing keeping up with all my question posts lol.

Anyway.... I am still just so confused about the health of my plants, and was hoping you experts could take a quick peek at what I have and see if there are any red flags yet lol. So I will include some pics of them, and sorry they aren't the best. It's really hard to get pics of some of them because of the light/location. I am most concerned at the moment about that one in the back (I think it was called Confetti). I planted it in the back because Josh's Frogs labeled it as such, but I worry it's crowded and not thriving between the two broms. It was a bit of a puzzle to fit things in as you know however, and I am not sure I had a better spot for it anyway. She likes to sit on the leaves... and poop on them lol... so part of it is that she bends over the weaker ones getting down like the one in front. But it just doesn't have the space to grow from what I can tell.

Thanks for always helping ease my fears and guide me through this lol. At this point I am pretty sure of the frog being ok, and it's just these darn plants lol.



I hope you can at least get a general idea of their overall condition from these photos. Oh and in the corner behind the green brom you see a few leaves... that is a fake stem I put back there for better cover because that's her hiding corner and it's a plant she seems to like.

[awelcome]

So... that leaf that was leaning over the log from the back plant was even worse today so I went to pinch it off but it actually just came up from the root...... like when I pull up my hyacinth after they wilt down and they come off from the bulb. Do you think it's rotting at the roots, or just that stem?

Also.... and this is a mystery to me, I was watching her soak in the water bowl thinking maybe she'd poop in there again and I would clean it when she was done. I didn't see her do anything though, but then when she jumped out I saw what looked like a tiny leaf (turned yellow) in there with a red dot. I don't know if it was IN her, ON her, or what... but I also wonder what the red dot was.... hopefully not blood! I tried to snap a pic.



and if I haven't said it enough... I truly appreciate you guys answering all my questions especially when they seem like silly questions to you guys probably at times lol.

[DigitalPunk]

I'm not sure what that is on the leaf. I would think blood would mix in with the water more... Did you take the leaf out to inspect it?

It's hard to say. It's possible that the stem touching the wet wood caused it to begin to rot. Sometimes plants die off after being added to a terrarium, but most likely will grow back. If you think it is rotting at the roots than smell your tank several times a day. You will smell it rotting if it is.

[awelcome]

yeah that's what I was thinking about blood too.... I did take it out and put it on paper towels and there was no transfer of color, and it fell apart when I tried to move it around.

The stem wasn't really touching the wood, it's tucked behind it a bit, but hopefully it just figures itself out and starts thriving lol.... if you look up a couple posts to the one I put all the plant pics in you'll see that is the one I worry the most about at this time.

[awelcome]

So regarding that back middle plant... another stem rotted at the base so I plucked it off. I fear it maybe has root rot... which I see can happen from overwatering. I don't know if I have or not, but I don't know what else to think. I did notice the base was somewhat exposed (that particular one had a larger root section and it was harder to get it all covered in the level of substrate used), so I put a little more substrate, moss and leaf litter at the base of it, but for all I know that might actually make it worse. Is there any hope it will revive itself? I hate to think it will fully die out, but I don't know much about root rot. I am going to try to NOT water that one as much for now and see if it at least helps. I really only spray around the enclosure for a few seconds a couple times a day, so not sure how I gave it that much water to begin with.... could it have been doomed from the start? It kind of seemed like some of the leaves that have so far turned yellow and come off from the base were already slightly yellowed when it arrived, but I didn't notice any dark base/roots at the time (I also didn't really look admittedly). Now when a stem comes off I notice the bottom is brown and soft.

Here is a shot of the day I got it. Sorry it's rotated... forgot to fix that.

[DigitalPunk]

You can trim the roots back with some scissors to help it fit better.

Those types of plants drop leaves as new one grow. I wouldn't worry to much. If they all start to fall off than remove the whole plant and replace it if you want.

[awelcome]

I don't see new ones growing, but it is hard to see into the plant well too. I probably sound so dumb, but my plant knowledge is like none.... for regular plant leaf drops would the base turn squishy brown like that? Since it is already planted, and of course the hardest plant to get to without taking EVERYTHING out I will leave it as is, but good to know about trimming roots if I ever need to replace it in the future... which I hope not. I know many of you enjoy building your vivariums, but I was just glad to get it done and don't look forward to having to redo part of it already lol. Thanks.

[DigitalPunk]

Lol totally understand that.

Yes those plants will loose leaves and they will die off and begin to rot. It will prob be ok. Just keep an eye on it. I had one in my Mantella tank. It started to look sickly then greened up and took off.