Overwatering mushroom!?

[WhiskeyR0SE]

Since its been so hot here, I've been making sure all my critters have plenty of water. But I think I've been adding too much to my a. Chalcodes' tank. Woke up to find this fella had sprouted overnight and there is a white layer of something (spores?? Mold?) around it. Is it sprouting from that stick??

Looks like I'm gonna have to empty out her enclosure today, but for some piece of mind...what is that stuff?!

(Her substrate is all cocoa fiber, btw)

 

[Liquifin]

Coco fiber is a good substrate to use. The mushrooms growing are usually signs that the enclosure is moist and humid, which isn't ideal for an A. chalcodes enclosure. I suggest that you should just let the substrate dry out over time and not pour or moisten the substrate anymore, since it's already moist.

 

[DomGom TheFather]

Yes. It's too moist.
Spores have germinated, grown out mycelium and produced a reproductive fruiting body. The picture is fuzzy but the white dusting you are seeing on surfaces around that mushroom are spores that have dropped. The mycelium may also be visible through the enclosure. Most likely it grew from the wood but there are many fungi with various appetites. Pull the mushroom and remove what you like. It's not really necessary to empty the enclosure, just let it dry out.

 

[Wolfram1]

I second the above posts, too much moisture is the cause of this and that is a problem,
the mushroom itself should be harmless to the spider

there is a difference between mold which may have toxic spores and a mushroom, as far as i know not all molds are harmful ether but since its almost impossible to be certain what kind it is and the conditions that cause them are usually the more serious matter it is recommended to change substrate if they occur too heavily in an enclosure and cannot be spot-cleaned away.

 

[Neonblizzard]

How big is this A. Chalcodes? Beyond sling stage they should only be kept on dry sub with a water dish - no need to moisten sub in any way

 

[WhiskeyR0SE]

Ok, do the shroom and spores aren't going to hurt my T? If her enclosure just needs drying out, then I will hold off on emptying it and causing her more stress

 

[DomGom TheFather]

No, the spores shouldn't harm your spider.
Clean out what you can see and let it ride.

 

[WhiskeyR0SE]

Over lunch, I've dug out the mushroom and spore area, then mixed in some of my extra cocoa fiber that is SUPER dry. Hopefully that helps pull some moisture out of that corner.

 

[USNGunner]

Over lunch, I've dug out the mushroom and spore area, then mixed in some of my extra cocoa fiber that is SUPER dry. Hopefully that helps pull some moisture out of that corner.

I'm late to this one but I had the exact same issue in my SP Colombia (lg) enclosure. Little pink inappropriate as hell looking mushrooms. I plucked them, stopped dripping so much water and voila. All was well.

 

[The Grym Reaper]

Ok, do the shroom and spores aren't going to hurt my T?

Nope, most types of mould and fungus are harmless to your tarantula.

I get similar mushrooms pop up in some enclosures (mainly my more moisture-dependent species), I usually pick them out before they open up and drop more spores. Drying out the sub should stop any more from popping up but it just makes the mycelium in the soil go dormant rather than killing it off (so if you moisten the sub after drying it out then you will get probably mushrooms again).

 

[Smotzer]

It’s actually a good sign your substrate is alive and well and cycling nutrients. Just pick it out and you both do your thing. Totally lifeless soils would be a monstrous scary thing.

 

[quirinus]

what a nice mushroom
i'd leave it be but still let sub dry

 

[Dorifto]

I'm missing my mushrooms