Zoo Med Eco Earth Possible Mold

Josh Mulhern

Arachnopeon
Joined
Jul 10, 2019
Messages
10
I have had my first T for a week now. Last Tuesday I set up the tank with ZooMed eco earth coconut substrate, I squeezed most of the water out and put a 2-inch layer in the tank. I was told it would dry out within a few days so I was not worried about it. But now I am noticing a fuzzy white layer appearing on the top of the substrate and I am starting to worry.
Should I toss the substrate and start over?
 

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Vanessa

Grammostola Groupie
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Mar 12, 2016
Messages
2,423
That looks like webbing to me. Try lifting a bit of it out with your tongs/tweezers and see if it comes up off the substrate like a sheet. If it does, then it's webbing. Webbing up the substrate like that is not uncommon, especially around the mouth of their hide, and I have noticed that some will do it especially if the ground is too damp for their liking.
What species do you have in that enclosure? How high are the sides of the enclosure with only 2" of substrate? Do you have a photo of the entire setup?
 

Josh Mulhern

Arachnopeon
Joined
Jul 10, 2019
Messages
10
The species is either Grammostola Actaeon or iheringi. The tank height is 8" in total. It is the 6gallon ZooMed creature habitat. Also, it picked at the substrate with tweezers and it did not come up like a sheet.
 

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Vanessa

Grammostola Groupie
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I would put a bit more substrate in there - another inch or two. Bury the hide partially under the substrate at an angle, so it creates a burrow as well.
That definitely looks like webbing to me.
 

Josh Mulhern

Arachnopeon
Joined
Jul 10, 2019
Messages
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I would put a bit more substrate in there - another inch or two. Bury the hide partially under the substrate at an angle, so it creates a burrow as well.
That definitely looks like webbing to me.
Will do. Thank you for the advice.
 

Vanessa

Grammostola Groupie
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Mar 12, 2016
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Looks like webbing. Not sure about actaeon but iheringi web like crazy for terrestrials.
Both my female actaeon and iheringi have web carpeting that covers almost every inch of their substrate.
Not as thick as your photograph, more like the OP's photo.
 

The Grym Reaper

Arachnoreaper
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Jul 19, 2016
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4,835
Both my female actaeon and iheringi have web carpeting that covers almost every inch of their substrate.
Not as thick as your photograph, more like the OP's photo.
I rehoused her about 8 months ago (so after those pics were taken) and the new enclosure is equally caked in webbing.
 
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