Mushrooms growing in millipede tank - help!

[possumfriend]

Hey all,

The other day I noticed what looked to be mushrooms growing in the soil of my millipede tank. I have no clue how they started growing, but I would like advice for this situation. Is this species of mushroom toxic? Will the pedes try to eat them? I have removed the ones I can see, but I am worried about any under the soil. Should I add a bigger clean up crew? I am more than willing to completely change out the substrate if need be.

Any help is appreciated. Thank you!

 

[HooahArmy]

Hey there! I am a poisons and toxins specialist by trade (includes mushrooms!) and I have had folks like you ask me this question! Surprisingly, people usually have this little yellow-brown guy growing in their houseplants. You're the first case I've heard it happening in an enclosure! These little yellow shrooms come from mycelium (mushroom underground tissue) that gets carried over by soil that has been improperly treated. This could be either soil you gathered naturally, potting soil that was contaminated by spores, or just a substrate that wasn't heat treated.

Most people think mushrooms are pretty shady, but in reality, they help decompose organic material and add nutrients to your soil. Millipedes love hanging out where mushrooms are because they are detritivores. The mushrooms are likely fruiting in your milli enclosure because there's an abundance of organic waste such as food scraps, millipede poop, or decaying plant matter. Although the fungi might look a little shady, they won't harm you (unless you smoke/eat/snort them) or your millipedes. Mushrooms, detritovores, and plants have a symbiotic, synergistic relationship with one another. They help continue the circle of life as organic things decompose and plants and animals die. Your millipedes who are detritovores, aren't likely to eat the mushrooms, but if the little caps are creeping you out, feel free to pluck them. Mushroom mycelium (their actual bodies) are under the soil, so do be warned that plucking won't get rid of future growth. The mushroom caps (sexual organs) are what the mycelium bud up upon maturity to reproduce. If you pluck them before they begin to spore, you can prevent the spread of more mushrooms. You will not be able to fully get rid of the mycelium or stop potential future growths unless you do a full substrate change or allow the substrate to dry out.

Let me see if I can find you some articles on these little shrooms...
Article 1: http://houseplantscare.blogspot.com/2010/09/yellow-houseplant-mushroom.html

Article 2: https://twopeasinacondo.com/tips/why-are-mushrooms-growing-in-my-houseplant-soil/

 

[possumfriend]

Hey there! I am a poisons and toxins specialist by trade (includes mushrooms!) and I have had folks like you ask me this question! Surprisingly, people usually have this little yellow-brown guy growing in their houseplants. You're the first case I've heard it happening in an enclosure! These little yellow shrooms come from mycelium (mushroom underground tissue) that gets carried over by soil that has been improperly treated. This could be either soil you gathered naturally, potting soil that was contaminated by spores, or just a substrate that wasn't heat treated.

Most people think mushrooms are pretty shady, but in reality, they help decompose organic material and add nutrients to your soil. Millipedes love hanging out where mushrooms are because they are detritivores. The mushrooms are likely fruiting in your milli enclosure because there's an abundance of organic waste such as food scraps, millipede poop, or decaying plant matter. Although the fungi might look a little shady, they won't harm you (unless you smoke/eat/snort them) or your millipedes. Mushrooms, detritovores, and plants have a symbiotic, synergistic relationship with one another. They help continue the circle of life as organic things decompose and plants and animals die. Your millipedes who are detritovores, aren't likely to eat the mushrooms, but if the little caps are creeping you out, feel free to pluck them. Mushroom mycelium (their actual bodies) are under the soil, so do be warned that plucking won't get rid of future growth. The mushroom caps (sexual organs) are what the mycelium bud up upon maturity to reproduce. If you pluck them before they begin to spore, you can prevent the spread of more mushrooms. You will not be able to fully get rid of the mycelium or stop potential future growths unless you do a full substrate change or allow the substrate to dry out.

Let me see if I can find you some articles on these little shrooms...
Article 1: http://houseplantscare.blogspot.com/2010/09/yellow-houseplant-mushroom.html

Article 2: https://twopeasinacondo.com/tips/why-are-mushrooms-growing-in-my-houseplant-soil/

thank you so so much for the info! all substrate and live plants have been bought online, but I do recall letting a dying plant hang out in the soil when i was first setting up the tank. I figured it would be good food for the soil, so i just left it. The mushrooms are only growing on that side of the tank, so that may be the culprit! I definitely believe that my clean up crew for this tank is probably not sufficient, as this enclosure is much bigger than the last tank i housed my pedes in. I’m going to be adding more very soon! i am very glad to know that these won’t cause harm to my millis