# UPDATE-slimy white substance-now black and stringy



## reggorf (Oct 24, 2006)

This is a slimy white substance that is growing quite rapidly on some wood in my quinq viv. I noticed it a few weeks ago in a patch about the size of a quarter. I wiped it off with a paper towel and it did not come back for a week or so. I noticed that any leaves that touched it would die very quickly. I also think one of the frogs may have stepped in it and tracked it around the viv because a few leaves on the other side of the viv were dying. I just wiped some off the wood about 30-45 minutes before I took this picture and it came back that quickly. Does anyone know what it is and if it is harmful to the frogs? Should I take out this piece of wood?

*UPDATE! Less than 24 hours later! *










Any ideas on what this might be?


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## topaz017 (Jul 30, 2006)

How old is this wood? Where did you get it? Im going to take a guess, and say its some kind of sap leaking out of the wood.


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## reggorf (Oct 24, 2006)

I added an updated picture to the original post. Any clue?


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## Yidso (Mar 16, 2007)

If it is sap, any sap that is a milky color is usually dangerous. Since we aren't sure what this is yet, i can't confirm this accusation but it is something to think about.

-Yidso


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## rozdaboff (Feb 27, 2005)

Its a fungus of some sort. I had this happen on some ghostwood in a Yellow-belly tank. Be careful not to mist it directly - or you are going to be sucking up a lot of black spores. It came and went in my tank - with no effect. That was only a few weeks ago - so I am not sure if it will come back.


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## zBrinks (Jul 16, 2006)

That it some wicked cool fungus! Lucky!


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## reggorf (Oct 24, 2006)

we took the wood out last night. do you think I should scrub it with hot water and put it back in or just leave it as in and put it back in? Should I bake it? Or just find a new piece of wood?


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## rozdaboff (Feb 27, 2005)

You could bake it if you are really worried about it - but I think it isn't much different than your wood sprouting a mushroom.


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## reggorf (Oct 24, 2006)

thanks oz. As long as it is not going to harm the frogs, I am ok with that. IT does seem to have an effect on the plants that it comes into contact with. I will just have to watch it, I guess.


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## rozdaboff (Feb 27, 2005)

I have a Restrepia growing right next to where the fungus was that seems unaffected. There is now some moss sprouting up where the fungus was as well. So it didn't seem to be too harmful to the plants in the immediate area.


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## andersonii85 (Feb 8, 2004)

Look's like it may be a slime mold. They are common in vivariums. They generally cycle through like fungi do. If it spreads it may be a problem. Very easy to remove.


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## AB (Aug 15, 2007)

That looks pretty crazy. I'd toss it WITHOUT breathing. The spores could get ya. If you are fond of that piece of wood, boil it first and then put it back.


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## Woodsman (Jan 3, 2008)

*Slime mold in tank*

You have a member of the Myxomycetous fungi (preatory fungi, not parasitic or decaying). Several of the Slime molds produce beautiful yellow plasmodia (really, giant amoebas), that will crawl around the terrarium looking for little things to eat. Once large enough to sporulate, they coalesce (the white "bubbles" you had), then form the distinctive sporangia (their form of "mushroom). They can look like little lolly-pops or horses hair (like yours). Some just turn into black crusts.

The long brown hairy sporangiate forms are usually members of the genus Stemonitis. I have seen these in the woods climb several meters up a tree stump during a rain storm and produce millions of sporangia.

They do not cause disease either to frogs or to people. ENJOY them!!


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