# White spots on live moss



## darlingi (Apr 4, 2022)

I’ve recently started using a small batch of live moss for my enclosures. Today I noticed these little white specks in the moss. At first I was worried they could be eggs, but now I’m thinking it’s more likely a fungus? When squeezed lightly they basically disappear, and I’d expect eggs to be a bit more solid. They almost look like small particles from tissue paper.
Does anybody have an idea what these could be? Fine to leave them in with my Ts?

Reactions: Like 1


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## darlingi (Apr 4, 2022)

Some better pictures:


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## Wolfram1 (Apr 4, 2022)

i can't tell what they are but i wouldn't worry, i have mushrooms popping up from time to time in my enclosures, there are also some tiny soil-centipedes, isopods etc. and its fine.

Reactions: Thanks 1


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## darlingi (Apr 5, 2022)

After some research these appear to be some sort of slime mold. I've never dealt with them, but I know that mold is harmless to Ts, so it doesn't bother me


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## Wolfram1 (Apr 5, 2022)

oh wow, you do know that slime molds are quite the rare and special organisms, i have a friend that tries to keep and grow them but it is anything but easy to do so

Reactions: Like 1


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## Smotzer (Apr 5, 2022)

Doesn’t look like a slime mold to be honest. are the little white dots kinda look fuzzy and are very lightweight?


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## darlingi (Apr 5, 2022)

Smotzer said:


> Doesn’t look like a slime mold to be honest. are the little white dots kinda look fuzzy and are very lightweight?


Under the microscope they looked kind of fuzzy, yes, but not really with the naked eye. Lightweight? definitely, couldn’t feel them at all when I touched them. They basically immediately dissolved in my hand.


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## The Snark (Apr 5, 2022)

Wolfram1 said:


> oh wow, you do know that slime molds are quite the rare and special organisms, i have a friend that tries to keep and grow them but it is anything but easy to do so


Loves continuously cool and damp. Slime molds a constant problem in the fog belt of northern California. Destroys rugs and carpets, Gets going in closets and start kissing your clothes and shoes goodbye. Generates a micro climate in poorly ventilated areas like closets sucking moisture out of the air like a sponge. Soggy stinky mess. Got going in our closet and saturated a 8 ounce container of desiccant every 24 hours. Also promotes dry rot fungus, destroying floors and working it's way into the structures of houses.
Can't grow the stuff it's not damp enough. Constant >70% relative humidity is it's friend. We put out several structure fires only to leave the homes slime mold heaven due to the water we sprayed. Loggers bring the mold home from the forests on their boots.

Reactions: Like 1


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## Wolfram1 (Apr 5, 2022)

yes but the problem is finding the right foodsources, they can be picky and feed on rotting carrots one week and not grow on them the next

he has two tropical species at the moment

edit: i am not too involved myself


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## DaveM (Apr 10, 2022)

_Dictyostelium_ slime mold, especially_ D. discoideum_, is a favored genetic model organism for studying the motility and cooperation of single-celled organisms on the cusp of multicellularity.
These are cultured in lab routinely. Your white spots do not look like Dicty though.

And "slime mold" is a very informal common name used to describe many unrelated organisms. I don't know what you have.

Look here for a phenomenal resource on Dicty: https://dictycr.org/

Reactions: Informative 2


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