# Mold growing on live plants!



## ghostmantis (Aug 10, 2011)

What is this?! How do I stop it? It seems like it'ss causing leaves "rot" and fall off my favorite Philodendron


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## Okapi (Oct 12, 2007)

Air movement and better lighting


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## ghostmantis (Aug 10, 2011)

This is acrylic vivarium has a full screen top as well as ventilation on each side. It's 8" x 16" x 8" with a 60w "daylight spectrum" CF. 
I don't think either of those are an issue.


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## Robzilla56 (Aug 2, 2011)

Most molds can be killed by peroxide (changes the PH and kills off almost any mold) Interesting fact is that peroxide will kill mold and not fungus! (there is a big difference but most likely you have mold) You can make a mix of 1part peroxide to 10parts of clean water and spray it hopefully avoiding areas that your frogs may come in contact with. Or use a dropper and just drop a couple drops of peroxide on it. If that doesn't take care of it, its likely it could be a fungus.

I've read that peroxide in small amounts can be used to treat frog wounds so perhaps a little spray wont hurt them.


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## ghostmantis (Aug 10, 2011)

Awesome. Thank you, will try. If necessary, I'll remove the plant to treat it. It's also creeping up on Peperomia, but it doesn't seem to have taken leaves yet.


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## Okapi (Oct 12, 2007)

can you post a picture?


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## ghostmantis (Aug 10, 2011)

No pics as I spot cleaned it as soon as I noticed it. In the event that it sprouts its ugly head again, I'll be sure to share.


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## ghostmantis (Aug 10, 2011)

It did pop up again. This time on my Peperomia


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## Freeradical53 (Jan 25, 2008)

Looks like spider webs.


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## Okapi (Oct 12, 2007)

How long has the tank been set up and did you seed it with springtails?

You can spray that mold down with water, just be sure to let the plants dry off before turning off the lights.


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## ghostmantis (Aug 10, 2011)

It's been set up for just over 40 days now. I added some ABG mix to this vivarium from a different tank that I seeded with springtails, so there are some springtails. Do you thinking adding more or a second species would help?


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## Okapi (Oct 12, 2007)

ghostmantis said:


> It's been set up for just over 40 days now. I added some ABG mix to this vivarium from a different tank that I seeded with springtails, so there are some springtails. Do you thinking adding more or a second species would help?


The tank is still young, as time goes by this will happen less and less. The spring population will eventually rise up to a point where it can keep the mold in check. Adding more springs may help, but as long as there is air movement and water isnt just sitting on the plants, this will pass.


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## B-NICE (Jul 15, 2011)

mold always makes its way in the early stages of a ne viv. nothing to worry about it freaked me out on my 1st one too, just mist the mold away. you got your stripes lol.


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## dom (Sep 23, 2007)

Kind of looks like spider mite webs or small spiders. Check the "mold" at night and see if you see anything in it. It's not going to hurt the plants to let it be for a night or two.
Ether way springs will eat the mold. And frogs will eat the mites... It's the natural cycle of the vivariums.
dom


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## ghostmantis (Aug 10, 2011)

It's kind of hard to tell from my crappy photos, but it's definitely not spider mite or spider webbing. It's frosty-looking stuff that "spikes" out of the plant leaves. The leaves of the philodendron melt pretty quickly when it gets a breakout but other plants seem a little more resilient towards it.


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## B-NICE (Jul 15, 2011)

just take it off and mist it. it doesnt come back.


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## ghostmantis (Aug 10, 2011)

I did that. It did come back as explained earlier.


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## B-NICE (Jul 15, 2011)

you might have a different issue. In my vivs the silk looks like it grows around the wood as opposed to the plants.


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