Weird fungus in Narceus americanus tank

[billrogers]

A weird fungus has appeared in my N. americanus tank. I have had the tank for a month or two without problems before this. In the tank (it's a 20 gallon) there are a bunch of N. americanus, several species of isopods, and a ton of springtails. I feed them fruit and vegetable scraps. What should I do? I really don't think I can rehouse because there are a bunch of baby millipedes hiding in the sub that I could never separate. Here are pics:

 

[mickiem]

It is a beautiful fungus! What if you scraped it off where you could; reduce the humidity and cut out the fruits and veggies for a bit? I get molds and fungi, but I haven't had one like that yet.

 

[mickiem]

It's hard to tell in a photo, but I see small blotches of red. That could be a bacteria, which could be bad. But maybe its just a camera angle.

 

[MrCrackerpants]

Slime mold! Awesome!

 

[billrogers]

It's hard to tell in a photo, but I see small blotches of red. That could be a bacteria, which could be bad. But maybe its just a camera angle.

If you are talking about the red behind it those are pieces of fruit on the substrate

Slime mold! Awesome!

Is that good or bad?

 

[Cavedweller]

I've had that stuff grow in my pede tanks too. I wouldn't worry about it. Pedes rely on fungus to break down the cellulose in wood and leaves anyway.

It does look like the humidity is a little high though.

 

[mickiem]

In the first picture, almost in the middle of the fan I see little red blotches. It looks like it is on the glass. It's usually bad, but I have never seen it in a millipede set up. I can't imagine it could be ever be good; but I am not sure.

 

[Staehilomyces]

That's a myxomycete (slime mold), more precisely one in the plasmodium stage. They aren't actually fungi, but behave similarly to most saprophytic fungi. They won't be of any danger to your pet, as they only decay dead matter.

 

[mickiem]

That's a myxomycete (slime mold), more precisely one in the plasmodium stage. They aren't actually fungi, but behave similarly to most saprophytic fungi. They won't be of any danger to your pet, as they only decay dead matter.

Doesn't it use a lot of oxygen as it degenerates? I have always understood it to grow quite fast, smothering what it covers. Maybe it's a different species I have encountered in amphibian set ups. Frogs are much more sensitive, too. I know it loves extra high humidity. I am having a deja vu about slime mold. And are the veins part of the same? I've never had it; it's beautiful!

 

[MrCrackerpants]

Is that good or bad?

I have had them before I started setting my decaying wood and leaves out in the Sun in a black plastic garbage bag for a month or so. Now that I do that I do not see them in my enclosures. When I have had them, they did not harm my animals. If you do not know anything about this organism, you should learn about them. They are amazing.

 

[zonbonzovi]

I've had the same here. As it decomposes further I see explosions of cleaning crews. Armies of dwarf isopods.

 

[Hisserdude]

Cool, I've always wanted to see some slime mold in person! No luck yet...