shredded coconut husk mushroom problems!!

bloodred1889

Arachnoknight
Old Timer
Joined
Jul 12, 2005
Messages
284
hay all.
ive used coconut husk in all my tarantulas tanks and most of them are kept dry.
but in my avics tank and my H.lividums Tanks are full of these white mushrooms, they started off small but now i have two huge ones in my cobolts tank, even one from one side to the other side of my h.lividums entrence to her burrow, so she has stopped using it because its basically barred off with a mushroom!

so are these harmfull? the tarantulas keepers guide says there harmless but they are annoying.
i will be redoing my h.lividums tank but in the future, shell i worry or maybe use a diffrent substrate?

the mushorroms are white and long, sorry no photo.
 

TerribleGrizz

Arachnopeon
Joined
Aug 8, 2010
Messages
15
According to The Tarantula Keepers Guide, most fungal growths that appear in enclosures pose no real threat, but personally I wouldn't take the risk. If you want to get rid of them, clear out the enclosures and give scrub down with a bleach water solution.

Personally, I also use peat, and I have had no problems thus far.
 

bloodred1889

Arachnoknight
Old Timer
Joined
Jul 12, 2005
Messages
284
ok so im dence and this is the uk so maybe its called somthing else.

but what is peat?
potting soil?
compost?
 

bloodred1889

Arachnoknight
Old Timer
Joined
Jul 12, 2005
Messages
284
also does anyone know exacually which species these mushrooms are? im really curios.
 

TerribleGrizz

Arachnopeon
Joined
Aug 8, 2010
Messages
15
Peat is basically plant material that hasn't decayed fully because of acidic or araeobic conditions.

Peat is a major component in a lot of organic potting soils, yes. I should clarify my last post. I actually use organic potting soil (no chemicals) and the major component is peat. :) However, apparently peat is discouraged as a soil amendment in the UK, so I don't know if you'll be able to get any.

I'm afraid I don't know much about mushrooms, so I can't help you there.
 

AbraCadaver

Arachnoknight
Old Timer
Joined
Feb 6, 2009
Messages
296
A picture would help identify the fungi..

I'm not sure what peat moss is called in the uk, but I will give me dad a ring. He grew up on a farm, he'll know =)

ETA; It goes under "sphagnum" in the irish garden centers. Hope it'll help ye :D
 

bloodred1889

Arachnoknight
Old Timer
Joined
Jul 12, 2005
Messages
284
thanks for your help.
the mushorroms look abit like liberty caps but pure white, so the top bit isnt brown the whole things stalk and top is white.
its the same mushroom in both tanks so it must be a commen mushroom to the coconut husk, so if you know that then youll know the mushroom.. i think...
 

Ictinike

Arachnobaron
Old Timer
Joined
Aug 30, 2009
Messages
460
Many have had similar..

Just take some tons and pull them out at the base and flush them. No need to re-do the entire enclosure as it could be either a local variety or one that came with the coir.

I've had similar when I keep enclosures too moist and have had to move the water dish to a different corner a few times to allow that area to dry out. Keep the enclosure dryer with a water dish and they'll do fine.

Peat moss is a common name for ground up Sphagnum moss that has broken down and decayed to the point it's much more acidic and tends not to allow fungus to grow since both the acidity as well the lack of organic compounds breaking down.
 

bloodred1889

Arachnoknight
Old Timer
Joined
Jul 12, 2005
Messages
284
have doneso and thnks.

is there a post in this forum about the mushrooms that have been found to grow on coconut husk because id really like to know what species of mushroom it is.
 

TerribleGrizz

Arachnopeon
Joined
Aug 8, 2010
Messages
15
have doneso and thnks.

is there a post in this forum about the mushrooms that have been found to grow on coconut husk because id really like to know what species of mushroom it is.
The search function should help you out with that. Let us know if you find anything. :)
 

Toirtis

Arachnobaron
Joined
May 14, 2010
Messages
316
Properly baking your substrate (coco-peat or real peat) first will also eliminate fungal issues coming from the substrate (bear in mind that many other things that you place in your enclosures may carry fungal spores).
 

bloodred1889

Arachnoknight
Old Timer
Joined
Jul 12, 2005
Messages
284
tried the search function there isnt a thread about mushrooms found in tanks, someone shoud start one with pictures as a refrence to newbies :)
 

REAPER591

Arachnopeon
Joined
Apr 18, 2010
Messages
32
If I had to guess I would imagine it would be more of a local variety found in your region of the world. I'm sure it could be fairly easy for a spore (correct term?) to follow you in from outside and dislodge from clothing when going into the T's tank to clean, feed, etc. The coco fiber would provide a great place for them to just start taking off. Might try looking up mushroom indigenous to your local area.
 

codykrr

Arachnoking
Old Timer
Joined
Sep 22, 2008
Messages
3,112
Peat is usually called

Sphagnum peat moss or Canadian sphagnum peat.

Also yes, there is a high chance it is of a local variety. But also, there is almost NO way to I.D. a mushroom that you know nothing about.

For me to I.D. mushrooms(even the local varieties-except a few around here that look like nothing else are easily I.D.ed I.E. the morel, hen of the woods, fly argeric) I would need-

1. a fresh sample.
2. a spore print
3. I would need a location(this proves hard when grown in tanks on accident like this)
4. I would need a mushroom I.D. book
5. I would need to see ALL the physical characteristics.
6. I would need to know the type(s) of substrate it was found on
7 and lastly the time of year it was found.

Mushrooms are VERY hard to I.D. even mycologists with years of experience would have trouble identifying some random mushrooms without the above.

this is why fungi,mold, and mushrooms are so unknown.

Also, coco fiber is used as a grow medium for lots of commercial and illegal mushroom farms. its almost the perfect substrate. its loose, airy, easily decomposed.

All reasons why I will never use coco fiber again.
 

REAPER591

Arachnopeon
Joined
Apr 18, 2010
Messages
32
Also, did you happen to use anything from outside to decorate the tank? Random branches or bark pieces?

I've yet to encounter any random mushroom growth either at home or at the shop and in almost all cases ( aside from desert reptile enclosures ) coco fiber is used. If a piece of wood or bark was used from outside without proper sterilization it might explain as to how they might have gotten in.
 

Stan Schultz

Arachnoprince
Old Timer
Joined
Jul 16, 2004
Messages
1,677
I know a lot of people recommend peat to avoid this issue.
This isn't true, unfortunately. We've had some really remarkable, brilliant yellow mushrooms growing in our T. blondi's cages. 100% peat.

In the first Jurassic Park, what did the chaotician - Dr. Ian Malcolm (Jeff Goldblum) - say about life finding a way?
 

Stan Schultz

Arachnoprince
Old Timer
Joined
Jul 16, 2004
Messages
1,677
According to The Tarantula Keepers Guide, most fungal growths that appear in enclosures pose no real threat, but personally I wouldn't take the risk. If you want to get rid of them, clear out the enclosures and give scrub down with a bleach water solution.

Personally, I also use peat, and I have had no problems thus far.
There is at least one report on the ATS forum about a tarantula that died after it drank water from a water dish in which the large yellow species of mushroom collapsed and began to rot. I presume that the rotting released some toxin into the water, thus poisoning the tarantula.
 

TerribleGrizz

Arachnopeon
Joined
Aug 8, 2010
Messages
15
I did read about that, which is why I said I wouldn't take the risk with the mushrooms. An interesting case that one.

Also, it's nice to "meet" you. I've read your book, as I'm sure almost everyone on this forum has. :D
 
Top