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Help-white, fuzzy mold

K

kauinca

Guest
Just got plant Sunday. Transplanted into glass fishbowl yesterday. Put about 1" aquarium gravel on bottom, made a soil mixture of Schultz peet moss and supersoil, topped of with Schultz green moss. Water (bottled spring water) is in the gravel, soil is moist, have the top covered about 80%. Obviously did something wrong...what's with the white, fuzzy looking mold? What caused it and how can we do to get rid of it and prevent it from returning? Thank you in advance for all help!!!! Will check back in a few hours - hope it won't be too late!!!
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The only thing I can see that may be possibly wrong is that you did not used distilled water I made the same mistake on my first VFT and it eventually died. It maybe you don't have sufficent air circulation either, this is key.
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Sounds to me that the entire soil mixture is wrong. The supersoil most likely contains fertilizer and will kill your VFT. Avoid aquarium gravel as it contains salts and VFTs do not light salts. The Schultz peat moss also may contain fertilizer.

If the mold breaks down into a powder when you touch it, its probably salts building up in the soil mixture. I would remove the VFT asap and put it in a pot with pure sphagnum moss or a mixture of 70% Canadian Peat Moss and 30% perlite.

Water only with distilled water or Reverse Osmosis water. Normal tap water, and many bottled water, contains salts and other chemicals that will kill a VFT.
 
Does it look something like this:

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Ok, thought it might have been salts building up.
 
Oh no!
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Nick, no it doesn't look like the photo, it looks feathery.

We took the plastic off the top before we left today, and upon checking it out a bit ago, I can say it doesn't look any worse. I'm going to check out the bags of stuff I have, and see if any of it matches your recommendations. Unfortunately I don't have any distilled water. AAHHH.

Wish me luck!
 
o.k., just checked, I have Canadian Sphagnum Peat (no perlite, however) I'll figure out a way to improvise for now since stores are closed...
 
Hi Kauinca,

Welcome to the forum
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The Sphagnum peat moss is fine, but the supersoil has got to go! Supersoil has fertilizer---bad for VFT
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The green moss is probably NOT real sphagnum moss---also bad for VFT.

The feathery stuff sounds like mold...keep the cover OFF! Good ventilation keeps the molds away...

As for the spring water...not good for VFT
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Most major supermarkets have water machine outside their store. Check out your local supermarket and purchase distilled water (or salt-free) or buy bottled distilled water (more expensive$$&#036
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inside the market.

Hope that helps
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Hello
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It does sound like you have done a couple of things wrong (which have already been pointed out) but what is causing the mold or fungus is bad air circulation, you need to get a  fan hooked up even if the top is open it will get that way.

I just read your post again and I cant help but wonder how in the heck mold or fungus can apear so quickly you did say you just plated it yesterday right? Hm... wierd
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Was the soil already moist before you used it? Normally it doesnt apear that quickly.
 
The soil might have been contaminated in the store.
 
  • #10
oh if you dont have perlite you can substitute for washed sand sorry I forgot that part.
And since the wrong soil was used I would take it out and start all over if you dont have a fan I would suggest placing the vft in a plastic pot instead. They realy dont do well in a terrarium at least from what Ive seen.
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  • #11
Walmart was still open, so we got some perlite and distilled water. Took the vft out and rinsed it really well w/the water (to get rid of all the fungusy/moldy looking stuff) and replanted it in about a 70/30 mixture of peat/perlite. Thanks for the advice! I sure hope the little guy makes it - especially after all this transplanting!
 
  • #12
To add to what others have said:

I would leave the cover off of the terrarium that you have made.

High humidity and stale air aren't good mixes for a VFT. They enjoy a more open condition.

I believe that the mold you have is from the conditions that plant was in ( and not the soil- but I will address that later ). The high humidity and no air flow makes mold. Also, some have thought that certain water will too.

Distilled, rain, or water from a reverse osmosis filter is the best things for the plant. Tap, drinking, spring, mineral...all contain salts ( sometimes not listed ), minerals and other chemicals that are harmful for the plant. The plant will not die right away, but over time, the build up of these things will harm the plant and will eventually kill it.

Soil:
You have the right mix now. When planting VFT's only use Spahgnum Peat Moss, Perlite or Sand ( that has been washed ). There are other things that people use, but for those that are just starting, they are the easiest things to get.

Since you have the plant in a tank, you want to also make sure that you aren't adding a lot of water to the soil. It is very different than having the plant in a saucer of water.

The best way to water is stick your finger in the soil. Feel how mosit it is. When it starts to dry slightly, add more water, But not a lot. Just keep it moist. You have to think about the water that is at the bottom of the bowl.

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My only question that I have is about your lighting
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What do you have setup for the plant? That will also help in the prevention of mold.

I wish you all the luck with your plant. They aren't hard to keep at all. There is just so much bad information, or in some cases, not enough.

Please keep us posted on your baby!!
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  • #13
Wed. a.m. report: plant looks o.k., there is a little debris in the traps (from all the transplanting), should I rinse them off or just leave it be? Maybe mist it off?
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It's been through alot the last couple of days... It's hard to tell if there's still any evidence of the white stuff, I don't see the airy growth like before, but I guess a little time will tell.

jaie, the lack of air circulation was probably a contributing factor (w/the plastic wrap over the top) I have the top open since transplanting. Lighting: a window sill w/northern exposure, good light, but no direct sun. I hesitate to put glass in the full sun - would it get too hot? Is it o.k. to move the plant's location during the day if it does need some full sun, e.g., a southern exposure for a few hours each day, then back to the northern?
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Anyway, I can't begin to tell all of you how much I appreciate your responses! Thank you!
 
  • #14
Hi Kauinca,
Glad your plant's looking OK. You can mist the traps to remove the debris. Just be gentle. If your spray too hard it will trigger the trap. Also, be sure that you don't overwater your vft with a lot of misting trying to clean the traps.
VFT's love lots of light. If there's a brighter spot that you can put the terrarium in, go ahead. The extra light will also prevent the fungus from coming back. It is best to work the plant into direct sunlight gradually or the leaves might get sunburned if they aren't used to it. Keep an eye on the plant as you get it used to the brighter light so that it doesn't get too hot. The roots don't like the soil to get warmer than 90°. Morning and evening sun is usuall the least harsh and less likely to heat up the soil.
 
  • #15
O.k., another update ( and thanks, again, you all)

Plant's still looking good. I don't have anything that will lightly mist it, got to get a mister, so it's still kind of dirty. I was getting concerned because I hadn't seen any of the traps close all the times it had been handled during the transplanting (well, some were closed, but not in that quick way associated w/vft) then today I barely touched one of them and it shut really fast! Cool, it's working.:)

I've been putting it outside in the sun for a while, then back to the no. facing window. It's getting hot here, so I don't want to burn it.


There are 14 traps ranging from 1/4'' to 3/8" on this litlle plant. Hope it makes it!

BTW-The top of the planting mixture that came with the plant still has a bit of a whitish/gray tinge to it, should I treat it with anything or leave it be?
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