Mold in Tarantula tank

[Edman]

So I rehoused my B. smithi to a new home yesterday. A large critter keeper. I changed the usual substrate (coco fiber) to a mixture of coco fiber and organic "terrarium soil" (from a company called terraristik bedarf dragon).

I changed the substrate because I noticed my T digging quite a bit in her older enclosure, but the pure coco fiber substrate wasn't good enough to create burrows, and I've seen that some T Youtubers use a mixture of coco fiber and soil in their enclosures. And of course, as luck has it, it started to grow mold in this new enclosure the very next day.

So my question is, is it dangerous? Some say it is while other say it's not. Do you have a better mixture of substrates for burrowing T's? Thanks in advance!

 

[Ungoliant]

So my question is, is it dangerous? Some say it is while other say it's not.

Are you sure those white spots are mold and not poop? (I am assuming it's not poop based on the fact that you rehoused her a day ago, but I want to make sure it's not the same enclosure with poop on the walls from before.)

Since Brachypelma smithi is normally kept dry, you shouldn't have a mold problem.

That being said, a little mold isn't necessarily dangerous. You can scoop it out if you want. It should resolve itself with good ventilation and not keeping the substrate damp.

Do you have a better mixture of substrates for burrowing T's?

My pet hole (Ceratogyrus marshalli) lives in plain topsoil (the cheap stuff with no added pesticides or fertilizers). It's kept dry, so mold is not an issue.

 

[Edman]

Are you sure those white spots are mold and not poop? (I am assuming it's not poop based on the fact that you rehoused her a day ago, but I want to make sure it's not the same enclosure with poop on the walls from before.)

Since Brachypelma smithi is normally kept dry, you shouldn't have a mold problem.

That being said, a little mold isn't necessarily dangerous. You can scoop it out if you want. It should resolve itself with good ventilation and not keeping the substrate damp.




My pet hole (Ceratogyrus marshalli) lives in plain topsoil (the cheap stuff with no added pesticides or fertilizers). It's kept dry, so mold is not an issue.

Thanks for the quick answer!

This is a new enclosure, so it's definitely not poop. Neither the soil or the coco fiber was moist. So if I understand you correctly the mold will die out sooner or later? Since I won't add any water to the substrate?

 

[Ungoliant]

Neither the soil or the coco fiber was moist. So if I understand you correctly the mold will die out sooner or later? Since I won't add any water to the substrate?

If it's completely dry, I would not expect the mold to last for long.

Most of the mold I see grows on the surface of damp substrate, and I just scoop it out and improve ventilation if necessary.

boina is our resident biologist and can probably tell you more than you ever want to know about mold.

 

[Edman]

If it's completely dry, I would not expect the mold to last for long.

Most of the mold I see grows on the surface of damp substrate, and I just scoop it out and improve ventilation if necessary.

boina is our resident biologist and can probably tell you more than you ever want to know about mold.

Update! I feel extremely silly, (and very relieved), right now. The white stuff disappeared! So my guess here is that the coco fiber was not 100% dry and the white stuff was actually moisture that has evaporated and not mold. Crazy how similar it looks. I provided some images. Don't mind my reflection.

 

[The Grym Reaper]

It looks like mycelium, it won't hurt, I have it in my C. huahini enclosure, I get mushrooms pop up in my A. geniculata enclosure every now and again.

 

[The Grym Reaper]

 

[The Grym Reaper]

Should've read all the posts before posting a reply

 

[Edman]

Should've read all the posts before posting a reply

Haha, it's all cool dude! How do you think I feel making this thread! Anyway, thanks for the answer

 

[viper69]

If it's completely dry, I would not expect the mold to last for long.

Most of the mold I see grows on the surface of damp substrate, and I just scoop it out and improve ventilation if necessary.

boina is our resident biologist and can probably tell you more than you ever want to know about mold.

I've observed a fair amount of mold below the sub surface in pure coco fiber.

 

[cold blood]

pure coco fiber substrate wasn't good enough to create burrows,

Coco fiber needs to be tamped down firmly...do this and it hold up quite well to burrowing.

Mold is almost never an issue...just pick it out....if it keeps re-occurring, increase ventilation.

 

[darkness975]

Update! I feel extremely silly, (and very relieved), right now. The white stuff disappeared! So my guess here is that the coco fiber was not 100% dry and the white stuff was actually moisture that has evaporated and not mold. Crazy how similar it looks. I provided some images. Don't mind my reflection.

I was going to say it looked like condensation.

 

[Rob1985]

I was going to say it looked like condensation.

Yeah, definitely condensation. Temp difference between the water and substrate. I get this all the time.

 

[Whitelightning777]

The substrate can be heated in an oven to kill off any spores for a few hours. For generic topsoil, that's practically mandatory.

None of my inverts have problems digging in eco earth. Just tamp it down and apply a very fine misting, just enough to stop dust.

 

[Venom1080]

The substrate can be heated in an oven to kill off any spores for a few hours. For generic topsoil, that's practically mandatory.

None of my inverts have problems digging in eco earth. Just tamp it down and apply a very fine misting, just enough to stop dust.

And then the first thing that touches it completely takes it over. Brilliant.

 

[Whitelightning777]

The technique is used by others. Once indoors where it's relatively clean, it should be ok.

Other substrates such as peat are far more mold resistant.

 

[Dave Jay]

And then the first thing that touches it completely takes it over. Brilliant.

Advice saying to bake substrate to kill mould and fungus is very prevalent, many experts recommend it in books and online and swear it reduces the occurrence of the substrate growing mould. I hadn't thought about it the way you do Venom, food for thought. I personally don't bake substrate because I use coco peat and sand and I can't see it having a lot of spores, plus I guess spores are in the air anyway. It's certainly a common practice though.

 

[Andrea82]

Advice saying to bake substrate to kill mould and fungus is very prevalent, many experts recommend it in books and online and swear it reduces the occurrence of the substrate growing mould. I hadn't thought about it the way you do Venom, food for thought. I personally don't bake substrate because I use coco peat and sand and I can't see it having a lot of spores, plus I guess spores are in the air anyway. It's certainly a common practice though.

That's a bit of a myth really. Belongs on the shelf with 'avics need high humidity' and ' Theraphosa species need to be housed in swamps'.
The only reason to bake substrate/cocopeat is when it's too wet and you need it to dry out faster.

 

[Whitelightning777]

I'm thinking about adding some springtails to my more moist species if the substrate gets to creepy.

Perhaps my H spinifer will be the first one I use them with to see how effective they are before any of the tarantulas.

 

[The Grym Reaper]

Perhaps my H spinifer will be the first one I use them with to see how effective they are before any of the tarantulas.

IIRC, my H. laoticus enclosure was the first one that I had springtails randomly appear in, found a bunch clustered in the water dish so scooped them out with a vial and started a culture.