# What Are These On My Plants??? Eggs?



## frankrom (Jan 14, 2012)

Hi Guys,

Today I found what appears to be orange eggs on some of my plants?!?!?!?!??! What are they... There were a few flies flying around in my tank the other day didn't think much of it? Maybe they laid eggs?!

Pics below.

Thanks


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## fieldnstream (Sep 11, 2009)

Could be fungal


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## frankrom (Jan 14, 2012)

Uh is that good or bad??


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## JimO (May 14, 2010)

If it's fungal, it should be fine; however, it would be odd to have fungus growing on living, healthy plant tissue like that on the brom. Fungus usually pops up from the substrate, a piece of wood, or other dead organic matter. Have you noticed any small slugs or snails in the viv?


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## fieldnstream (Sep 11, 2009)

I would agree with Jim about 99% of the time...but once I had very similar orange growths (but fewer) on a healthy brom, turned into small orange mushrooms. The tank was totally sealed and the only thing I could think of was that the mushrooms grew on a film that had built up on the brom. No pics, so most people will say "ridiculous!" but I thought it was pretty cool.


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## Mer_ (Sep 11, 2011)

I had something very similar show up on one of my plants before. I think it might be the remnants of a slime mold.


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## Ed (Sep 19, 2004)

Mer_ said:


> I had something very similar show up on one of my plants before. I think it might be the remnants of a slime mold.


Beat me to it. 

Ed


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## frankrom (Jan 14, 2012)

Odd... 

My viv does not even have frogs yet... don't know if that matters but i forgot to mention it. 

All i added are springtails and isopods... The tank is fairly new. 

I have not seen any sails in the tank. The only thing i saw was a few flies (guessing house flies that got into the tank as I do not have fruit flies yet) flying around that spot where those plants where.

So most seem to think a fungus?

Should i leave it or clean it off?


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## frankrom (Jan 14, 2012)

I was trying to google this and needless to say its hard to google when you are doing searches like "orange spots on plants" !!!

Anyhow - I found something that looks like it could be it... it is called *CORAL SPOT FUNGUS* now i cannot say this is it for sure... but if you do google images some of the pics may look like mine?

All the articles are saying it grows on dead or dying wood. Mine are growing on plant leaves... so I do not know if this is CORAL SPOT fungus or not.

Dont know what to do... below is a copy and paste of some info on coral spot fungus.


------------------
Symptoms 



Coral spot is a small cushion like, poisonous fungus, no bigger than 2mm, which is coral/pink in colour. This fungus appears on dead stems and branches, usually in the winter months (October to December). It can also be found on fences, wooden furniture and old wooden supports such as pea sticks.




Causes 



This disease is created by a fungus, large numbers of spores can be produced throughout the year and enters the plant through wounds caused by pruning, frost or possibly storm damage. The branches are usually dead by the time you see the coral spot but it can spread to living areas which will then cause wilting and eventually dieback.



Coral spot is not usually a killer disease on its’ own, and only becomes fatal if the plant is young and not fully established or suffering from another debilitating conditions such as drought stress or root disease. However if this fungus should reach the trunk of a plant it may die.


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## frankrom (Jan 14, 2012)

*update*


Okay I gave it a better 'TOUCH' and it does not appear to be eggs or larva from a bug (I was thinking the flies).

It definitely feels like a fungus. It is pretty tough... its on the plants and it feels bumpy.


ADVICE?

Should i remove these plants and bleach them and soap them again?

Thanks


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## Mer_ (Sep 11, 2011)

Like I said I think it is the remnants of a slime mold. If this is the case you can just simply wait until it disappears or spray it off with some water. 

I had something that looked like this on one of my plants before and I freaked out. I waited a day or two and it was gone. 

I do not think that it is coral spot fungus since that usually occurs on woody plants.


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## Pumilo (Sep 4, 2010)

They look like Frogboy's "Worlds smallest mushrooms". http://www.dendroboard.com/forum/members-frogs-vivariums/78760-worlds-smallest-mushrooms.html
Frogparty has given a possible ID if you check out the thread I linked.


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## winstonamc (Mar 19, 2007)

I'm with Mer. Slime molds are mobile and seek out light so it may just have found that goldilocks spot of light and moisture.


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## KeroKero (Jun 13, 2004)

You mentioned the tank is new, so this is just part of the process of the fungus in the tank getting into an established population. Population explosions during this period are pretty common. This stuff should go away in a bit, so if it doesn't wash off with water then just give it some time. Going crazy and cleaning it again will actually just start the cycle over.


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## JimO (May 14, 2010)

I agree. I learned to just embrace the fungus, or in this case, embrace the slime! 



KeroKero said:


> You mentioned the tank is new, so this is just part of the process of the fungus in the tank getting into an established population. Population explosions during this period are pretty common. This stuff should go away in a bit, so if it doesn't wash off with water then just give it some time. Going crazy and cleaning it again will actually just start the cycle over.


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## KeroKero (Jun 13, 2004)

Plus slime mold has to be one of the coolest to watch if you manage to catch them!

I know it's hard for some, especially after all the "cleaning" to be done before they do into the tank, but the fungus is natural and in some cases even needed for these tanks to work well long term (which is the goal). Granted some fungus just turned one of my tanks fluorescent orange (again) but watching a shroom come and go is kinda fun


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## winstonamc (Mar 19, 2007)

KeroKero said:


> Plus slime mold has to be one of the coolest to watch if you manage to catch them!


No Kidding, they're a classic case study in self-organization too:


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## Pumilo (Sep 4, 2010)

I love to see the various fungus and slime molds that pop up in my vivs. Plus, they are feeding my springtails for me!


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## KeroKero (Jun 13, 2004)

Yeah, but thank goodness the tank not painted orange doesn't have frogs in it! They'd be orange too :/ I let that one go just because I really like the shroom but geez... it's like everything got spray painted! Springtails go bonkers tho  Same tank also gets some good slime mold going too, I need to get a macro lens for my camera and get some good shots of it.


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## ICS523 (Mar 10, 2012)

that could be slime mold! if it is that is awesome! slime mold is fascinating and harmless. if it is a slime mold its probably a sing of a healthy tank.


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## jacobi (Dec 15, 2010)

KeroKero said:


> Yeah, but thank goodness the tank not painted orange doesn't have frogs in it! They'd be orange too :/ I let that one go just because I really like the shroom but geez... it's like everything got spray painted! Springtails go bonkers tho  Same tank also gets some good slime mold going too, I need to get a macro lens for my camera and get some good shots of it.


Where are those photos????


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## KeroKero (Jun 13, 2004)

Uh... they don't exist? I don't have a macro lens yet, and the slime mold is currently in hiding. It just shows up randomly in different parts of the tank. There are plenty of photos on here of slime mold as well on the internet...


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## jacobi (Dec 15, 2010)

Bugger. I wanted to see your orange tank


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## KeroKero (Jun 13, 2004)

It's a 2.5g propagation tank, and the shroom hasn't gotten to the point of the big POOF. I cleaned the plants off last time before I even thought about taking a pic, figured people would just think I spray painted them orange. Shroom gets about 4 inches tall. When it goes this time I'll try and remember to take pics before I clean them off. Small tank + massive spore release = layer thick enough on plants to block light!

I find it amusing, but this is not a shroom you'd want in a nice display tank - I wouldn't want this to get all over frogs!


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