White fluff/mould in frog tank?

[Rum_Kitty]

My pacman froggles tank seems to get moudly very quickly...I keep clearing out the mouldy bits but there seems to be new stuff every couple of days. Is this going to harm him and if so how can I prevent it?

[Ron Magpie]

It's not great, 'cos it suggests either too wet conditions, or too little ventilation- or both. What is your setup/substrate/viv? These problems are usually solvable

[Rum_Kitty]

I'm using the Komodo tropical terrain brick thingie that you soak in water. S/he's in a flat faunarium type tank. It does seem rather "wet" in there, but all I've done is give it a light mist daily, so I'm wondering if maybe just the substrate too wet? Some dolt stood on my hygrometer the other day (although I suppose it is my own fault for leavin it on the floor ) so I currently can't tell what the exact humidity reading is.

[Ron Magpie]

Well, on the face of it, yep, it does sound too wet- technology failing, if you stick your finger in the susbstrate, does it go 'squish'? If you have a water bowl your frog may not need spraying every day- let the system dry out a bit- the frog is quite capable of going for a soak if he/she/it really needs it. Once it dries out a bit but so long as the soil is moderately damp, a daily LIGHT spray is ok, but too much is asking for trouble.

[Rum_Kitty]

OK, thanks very much. But while the tank is drying out the mould isn't going to cause him any immediate problems?

[Ron Magpie]

Best to keep removing any obvious patches that appear- or even start again with fresh- but in any case it should die out quickly, if it's too dry for it.

[Rum_Kitty]

OK thanks v much. Love my new froggle would hate for him to become ill.

[Saedcantas]

The white cottony/furry mould seems to appear in all newly setup amphib vivs and may recur randomly at some point.

It is not harmful in any way and is not necessarily any indication of poor ventilation of high humidity.

The best solution other than waiting is to introduce springtails, woodlice, millipedes or any generalist detritivores which will rapidly eat the mould up and keep it in check

[Rum_Kitty]

Really? Might give woodlice a try then...I'm sure Creature the pacman would be pleased too lol.

[Ron Magpie]

Originally Posted by Saedcantas

The white cottony/furry mould seems to appear in all newly setup amphib vivs and may recur randomly at some point.

It is not harmful in any way and is not necessarily any indication of poor ventilation of high humidity.

The best solution other than waiting is to introduce springtails, woodlice, millipedes or any generalist detritivores which will rapidly eat the mould up and keep it in check

Maybe I should have said I mix some 'live' leafmould into the substrate in all my tanks. But on any case, biological solutions seem to work, if the substrate isn't too wet.