Mold?

[Cyb3rw0lf]

Hi everyone,

I got 90% of my vivarium set up and looking great, just been too busy to drag the powertools out to finish up and go get a Gargoyle or Cresty. Two weeks after I got the drainage layer, background, and substrate in I start seeing white mold growing ALL over the top of the substrate, it almost looked like there had been some kind of miniature snowfall in there, so I picked it out and shifted the substrate around a bit, but now its growing again.

I'm doing a natural viv and dont even have any plants in yet, the substrate was mixed using the instructions from here: http://www.geckotime.com/a-primer-for-planted-vivariums/ which is a mix of coco, orchid bark, and sphagnum moss.

A few places I've found via google say that this is normal and much like the cycling of an aquarium, that the mold will eventually go away as bacteria levels build, others say that this is a horrible situation and that the substrate needs replaced immediately. The local pet shop even suggested I completely disassemble the tank and swap over to a desert environment for a different kind of reptile since its "easier". Anyone have the real story on this issue? ^_^;

 

[Wowoklol]

Well, I don't think any sort of bacteria is going to deal with that mold. From what I'm gathering after googling "vivarium mold", its pretty normal. Keep your humidity and temps in check. Think about adding Spring Tails. Airflow is also key.

just to throw it out there... there are very simple things that can be done to combat mold in a viv. for example... cover it with moss, ground cover, liverworts... add some microfauna... springtails, pill bugs, etc. ... or add circulation (not ventilation).

drastic measures are usually not necessary even if it is unsightly.

http://www.vivariumforum.com/community/viv-general/6585-help-viv-mold-2.html

I wouldn't freak out. Just do those few things there and watch what you introduce.

 

[Cyb3rw0lf]

Im surprisingly enough not freaking out, its just one of those things where I've gotten things together and now have to raise an eyebrow.... And I just realized this is in the Leo forum, whoops ^_^; I'm thinking I may have to go with the petshop's idea and get a Leo instead, it wont take much to readjust the tank for it and the only reason I was avoiding a Leo was that I did not want to have to keep crickets around 24/7, I believe I have a solution for that now though......

 

[Yoh4n]

Cyb3rw0lf I would like to know whats that in your picture

 

[Cyb3rw0lf]

The common name used most often would be an Antarctic Ice Fish, I found the picture by accident while researching a goby and thought it was kinda cute and unique. Especially since the species apparently has no red blood cells.