Mold, fungus, salt???

cherryskary

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When we went to feed the scorpions today, we noticed this white, powder-like substance that kind of looks like ice crystals. I didn't notice it in there yesterday, it definitely wasn't in there two days ago. No idea what it is or why it's there. That's the only spot that has it. This was the highest point in the enclosure, closest to the lights. Whatever this was was a lot fluffier and lighter looking before we pulled it out of there.

Tank has two emperor scorpions about a year and a half old. (We put a container of isopods in there, but the babies may have eaten them because I haven't seen them in a while.)

Environment is coconut husk, bark, sphagnum moss and all hides are man-made materials.

We have a daylight on for about 8 to 12 hours depending how long we're gone. No night light on this tank. We go between spraying with a bottle and using a humidifier, using purified water for both.


Sometimes we'll see the white fluffy mold in our large tank, but this is the first time we've ever seen this kind. What is it, what causes it, and do we have to redo the entire enclosure now?
 

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jbooth

Arachnobaron
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What is that it's growing on? looks plastic.
 

jbooth

Arachnobaron
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Was the heatlamp getting that hot and making something seep out of it? I'm quite confused how mold could grow like that on a surface like that in direct, hot? light... Lichen? If it's organic I'd say boil it or dip it in peroxide or something for a bit and see what it does? If it's mold springtails should eat it... if it's crystals of something seeping out of the surface, who knows... Is it humid enough to keep that surface wet at all times?

Edit: guess I invented the heatlamp lol thought I read that. was thinking maybe something was seeping out
 

cherryskary

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Was the heatlamp getting that hot and making something seep out of it? I'm quite confused how mold could grow like that on a surface like that in direct, hot? light... Lichen? If it's organic I'd say boil it or dip it in peroxide or something for a bit and see what it does? If it's mold springtails should eat it... if it's crystals of something seeping out of the surface, who knows... Is it humid enough to keep that surface wet at all times?

Edit: guess I invented the heatlamp lol thought I read that. was thinking maybe something was seeping out
We have a tube light, but because of how short this particular enclosure is we don't have a heat bulb because it puts it up to desert temps. We keep it humid, but the most humid it gets is maybe about 80%. If we space and forget to spray, it'll get down to about 60%. The surface definitely isn't wet constantly.

That particular piece has been in there since we redid the substrate a couple months ago with no issue until today. We are completely baffled as to what it is or what caused it. Mostly I'm concerned about whether or not it's dangerous and if it's something we should actively try to prevent, but without knowing what it is, it's hard to have a game plan.

The texture of it reminded me of like freshly fallen snow, if you've ever caught snow on your glove as it's falling. My boyfriend says it reminds him of plastic shavings.

The big tank will sometimes get that cottony mold, or the spider web mold, but this is extremely different from what we've experienced before. 🤷🏻‍♀️🤷🏻‍♀️
 

jbooth

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I've seen the little white powdery mold, but this looks different. and what it's growing on bafffles me.. although if it's ceramic it's porous at least in places and anthing could be growing there.. maybe replace it and drop in some springtails?
 

cherryskary

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I've seen the little white powdery mold, but this looks different. and what it's growing on bafffles me.. although if it's ceramic it's porous at least in places and anthing could be growing there.. maybe replace it and drop in some springtails?
I feel like the babies keep eating isopods that we put in, would they be less likely to eat springtails? We like having the little cleaners in there to help keep things healthy, but if they keep eating isopods then we run out of cleaners 🤦🏻‍♀️

Not to mention replacing isopods gets expensive 😅

Edit: I said they're probably eating them, because they disappear and we don't see them but there are no little bodies hanging around. We figure that the babies are just so small that the isopods must be the right size for them to hunt.
 

jbooth

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I feel like the babies keep eating isopods that we put in, would they be less likely to eat springtails? We like having the little cleaners in there to help keep things healthy, but if they keep eating isopods then we run out of cleaners 🤦🏻‍♀️

Not to mention replacing isopods gets expensive 😅
Springtails would likely be too small a meal, and multiply very fast if the conditions are right(mold to eat, moist enough) otherwise they will run away on their own and find another enclosure that's better lol.. I don't have to put them in anything anymore, they just find it, and they're free.. just flip stuff over until you see a decent culture and scoop 'em up
 

cherryskary

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Springtails would likely be too small a meal, and multiply very fast if the conditions are right(mold to eat, moist enough) otherwise they will run away on their own and find another enclosure that's better lol.. I don't have to put them in anything anymore, they just find it, and they're free.. just flip stuff over until you see a decent culture and scoop 'em up

I've honestly never seen a springtail, so I don't know how small they are. As I said that, boyfriend says that they are absolutely tiny. These baby scorpions are maybe in their second instar, they are so small. But considering they keep eating the isopods, I will definitely try springtails next because I really worry about contaminants harming my lil babes.
 

jbooth

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I've honestly never seen a springtail, so I don't know how small they are. As I said that, boyfriend says that they are absolutely tiny. These baby scorpions are maybe in their second instar, they are so small. But considering they keep eating the isopods, I will definitely try springtails next because I really worry about contaminants harming my lil babes.
Springtails really are component #1 of bio-active or cleaner crews, they clean up after isopods as well, and eat things that can hurt the isopods as well, like molds, bacteria, etc. They will not chew on a spider or scorpion either, I've actually heard of isopods eating molting scorpions before. They are everywhere and many small slings are raised on them in the wild, I often find young wolf spiders eating them in my spot I get them. I'm not sure the size of your babies but they may appreciate the snack.. when they do get big enough, maybe dwarf white isopods but honestly if you pick out boluses and stuff the springtails should be fine alone. Spiders and scorpions don't create the kinds and amounts of waste like a snake or something, it doesn't take much. If there isn't food for the isopods, they will die whether they get eaten or not...
 

The Snark

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Various molds love porous ceramics. All porous materials but especially ceramic where the mycelium are well protected; impervious to all biocides which can't normally penerate the micropores of the ceramic material.. All it then needs is a little moisture and the spore buds - I forget the proper name - grow at an unreal rate. Depending on which fungi, up to 12 inches in 24 hours. Molds can easily develop a spore playground in a few hours from a clean sterilized surface.
 

bjjpokemon910

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I've honestly never seen a springtail, so I don't know how small they are. As I said that, boyfriend says that they are absolutely tiny. These baby scorpions are maybe in their second instar, they are so small. But considering they keep eating the isopods, I will definitely try springtails next because I really worry about contaminants harming my lil babes.
Springtails specializes in eating mold. Isopods more so eat things Mold would grow on.
 

jbooth

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Springtails specializes in eating mold. Isopods more so eat things Mold would grow on.
Yup. So many springtails in with my hissers nothing even rots :lol: 85 degrees, 70% humidity and a week old piece of carrot looking brand new.
 

bjjpokemon910

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Yup. So many springtails in with my hissers nothing even rots :lol: 85 degrees, 70% humidity and a week old piece of carrot looking brand new.
Yeah bro it’s honestly impressive. Anything I put springtails in I practically never worry about most molds.
 

jbooth

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Yeah bro it’s honestly impressive. Anything I put springtails in I practically never worry about most molds.
Yup, and they'll find it. Nothing, but I think vaseline can keep them in or out... they run out of mold, go to a different enclosure, or if they find mold, they go there... it's crazy. I think they are locked in the hissers because there's a barrier. I just grab a piece of bark out of there and tap it over anything and it's enough to start a culture.
 
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