How much mold is too much?

[BenevolentWendigo]

I've got a P. irminia who's been in premoult for what seems like eternity. She's in my first attempt at a bioactive enclosure and it recently had developed a mold outbreak. I'm not sure why ... all of my other bioactive enclosures are doing very well. At first I wasn't worried but there seems to be quite a bit of mold in there, to me at least, and I wanted your opinions.

I've got new plants to pop in there since the current crop aren't doing well, and obviously I'd like to get them planted soon, but I'm assuming I should wait till my girl moults? Or is this mold problem serious enough to warrant immediate removal? I'd rather not completely redo all the substrate and everything, because this enclosure has thriving colonies of springtails and isopods, but I will if I have to.

What would you guys do? Add new plants only? Add new plants and substrate? Do it now? Wait till she moults? Picture of mold attached ... it looks like this on all 4 sides, and the bottom. Sorry for the crappy picture ... I dislocated my elbow recently and it's difficult to get down on the floor.

 

[viper69]

Clearly the cure for cancer is there

 

[Charliemum]

I would cup her n redo it personally that's alot of mold surprised anything grows in it new plants will just die. If you just put catch cup over her slide the lid underneath so she's in the cup safe put her put of the way and redo it. I wouldn't reuse anything either in the hope it doesn't come back . She should be fine if your not messing with her. I had to move a caraponensis female recently due to the same thing she was in premoult too I moved her a week later she moulted all was fine am sure your girl will be too.

N lmao viper

 

[BenevolentWendigo]

I've never had an issue like this before - do I need to sterilize the glass or something when I take all the substrate out? If so, what should I use? Or is just soap and water enough?

 

[Pmurinushmacla]

Soap and water is flne.

 

[Charliemum]

Soap n hot water rinse thoroughly and it should be fine.

 

[BenevolentWendigo]

Well I went ahead and tossed everything, washed her tank and built her a new enclosure from scratch. Luckily I had another faux log and water dish laying around, though I had to get creative and use a layer of moss for the drainage layer ... Striga doesn't dig too much so hopefully she won't tear it up. Normally I'd plug one or two of those holes in the log with moss to make it darker for her, but I barely had enough moss to make a decent drainage layer so she'll have to build a dirt curtain if she wants privacy.

Here's the finished product. No more mold! Thanks for your help guys, I appreciate it (and I'm sure Striga will too, once she settles in).

 

[Charliemum]

Looks great and I am sure she will settle in no time. Enjoy your new home Striga