Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Perhaps this is just a case of having the wrong plant in my vivarium. But I was wondering if anyone else has had problems with mold in their vivaria?

I have been establishing a tank now for a week and a half. I planted Irish Moss for a ground cover. It was doing great for the first week - even put off some new flowers. Then suddenly, over the weekend, a large patch of it was practically liquified by a very fine, white thread like mold(I think.)

Anyone have any thoughts on how to avoid this?

Thanks,
Nate

I have tried transplanting irish moss in to several terrariums under several conditions, with several soils and several types of ventilation. It all turned into a green slime and died. Good luck with yours.
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Chantel a.k.a. sillygirl
"I came, I saw, I adopted"

1.3 green anoles (Stumpy (M)), and the rest remain nameless.
1.1 green tree frogs (Romeo & Juliet)
1.2 Firebelly toads
3.2.0 D. Tinctorius (Surinam Cobalt)
1.1.6 D. Azureus
0.0.2 D. Leucomelas
0.0.1 Clown Tree Frog
0.1 Anerythristic 'B' (Charcoal)corn snake (Popcorn)
0.1 Snow Corn (KandyKorn)
0.2 Amel Corns (KornSilk & KornMuffin)
0.1 Normal Corn (PepperKorn)
1.0 Creamsicle Corn (Kream)
0.0.1 Giant African Millipede
1.0 Betta (Sushi, Charlie)
2.4 Domestic house cats (Bad Boy (m), Bart(m),Sasha(F),Little Bit(F),Spirit(F)
1.0 Rottweiler (Jake)
2.7 Rats (Mouse, Socks, Flower, Squishy, Fox, Lucky, Snow & Tinker)
1.3 Mice (My step-daughter seems to think they are pets)
2.0 Betta (Sushi, Blue)
1.0 Husband (David, who loves all my critters too)

I cant find any good info on them anywhere, let alone a breeder. Thanks

I happen to run across mine at a local herp store. I knew next to nothing about them as well (I know bad choice to buy) but I fell in love and have managed to keep it thriving albeit alone because I've not found any others in a 15 gallon tall all to itself. There is a breeder selling them on Dendroboard though. I can tell you a few things about them but not much. They are a little like dart frogs. Can take very small crix and hydei fruit flies and field sweepings. Like fairly high humidity are aboreal and are VERY timid, jumpy and hide a lot..and are nocturnal. Hope that helps.
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Chantel a.k.a. sillygirl
"I came, I saw, I adopted"

1.3 green anoles (Stumpy (M)), and the rest remain nameless.
1.1 green tree frogs (Romeo & Juliet)
1.2 Firebelly toads
3.2.0 D. Tinctorius (Surinam Cobalt)
1.1.6 D. Azureus
0.0.2 D. Leucomelas
0.0.1 Clown Tree Frog
0.1 Anerythristic 'B' (Charcoal)corn snake (Popcorn)
0.1 Snow Corn (KandyKorn)
0.2 Amel Corns (KornSilk & KornMuffin)
0.1 Normal Corn (PepperKorn)
1.0 Creamsicle Corn (Kream)
0.0.1 Giant African Millipede
1.0 Betta (Sushi, Charlie)
2.4 Domestic house cats (Bad Boy (m), Bart(m),Sasha(F),Little Bit(F),Spirit(F)
1.0 Rottweiler (Jake)
2.7 Rats (Mouse, Socks, Flower, Squishy, Fox, Lucky, Snow & Tinker)
1.3 Mice (My step-daughter seems to think they are pets)
2.0 Betta (Sushi, Blue)
1.0 Husband (David, who loves all my critters too)

I'm pretty interested in them. I saw one at a local pet shop recently. I was actually able to resist the urge to impulse buy and went home to research it. When i went back someone had bought it though. Im surprised at how little info there is on these frogs. Thanks for the info, post pics if you can.

Mike Novy of Rainforest Junkies has clowns and breeds them. I think he has some available.

If you want to contact him, go to his website, www.rainforestjunkies.com .

Good luck,

Melis
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Quality Captives

i have noticed during the first couple months molds will appear in a freshly set up tank. It should eventually go away.

The mold isn't killing your Irish moss. It is merely feeding upon what is already dead. The mold is harmless, only an opportunist.

I've never been able to grow true terrestrial moss for any length of time in a dart frog vivarium except for Java moss. The various mosses will start out just fine, but then succumb to either too much humidity, too little light, too little ventillation, or seasonal die backs, etc. Since your goal is to make dart frogs happy, not moss, per se, I'd suggest trying some Java moss. It grows on both wet soil and under water, and has no particular light or ventilation requirements. It will cover the substrate with a nice greenery without competing with your plants. It's a little shaggier than other mosses, but does the job.

You mentioned blooming. Moss does not "bloom," in the usual sense of having flowers. You may have seomthing called Helixine soleirolii, which is also called Irish moss, but is not a moss at all. This is related to the pileas, and may still survive in your terrarium in a more dry portion of it. Some Selaginellas are also called "Irish moss," but they shouldn't be troubled with any of the above limitations. These are usually taller, more like small ferns, and put up with low light and high humidity.

In any event, if you want to have a low mossy ground cover, the Java mass will be your best bet.
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Patty
Pahsimeroi, Idaho

4 D. auratus blue
5 D. galactonotus pumpkin orange splash back
5 D. imitator
6 D. leucomelas
4 D. pumilio Bastimentos
4 D. fantasticus
4 P. terribilis
4 D. reticulatus
4 D. castaneoticus

Thank you, all, for your comments. Very helpful. I think when this dies back, which at this rate should be a couple of days, I will try something else.

I'll look into java moss. I almost picked up a carton of "amphibian moss" from the local vivarium supplier. But at $25 a carton... guess I might try it after all.

Thanks again,
Nate

Wheres the best place to get the java moss?

Pet stores that sell aquatic plants usaully sell it. you can get a nice clump for cheap. If grows fast in aquarium. I have not tried in a terrarium. but i think i will. Thatpetplace.com may sell it.

If I remember correctly, I got my first Java moss start from Black Jungle. Now, I just harvest what I need from my planted fish aquariums by just clipping off hunks of it that are growing under the water and spreading it around on top of any new vivarium substrate that I set up. There may be some qualms from different people about possible cross contamination of some sort, but I figure my aquariums are just as healthy if not more so than wherever the moss comes from commercially. In any event, it doesn't seem to harbor any conspicuous molds and seems to grow on just about any substrate that is damp enough.

Good luck.
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Patty
Pahsimeroi, Idaho

4 D. auratus blue
5 D. galactonotus pumpkin orange splash back
5 D. imitator
6 D. leucomelas
4 D. pumilio Bastimentos
4 D. fantasticus
4 P. terribilis
4 D. reticulatus
4 D. castaneoticus

That was a very informative post Patty, very well done.

Rich Frye

Thanks, Rich. I need to apologize for all the typos I make. I have been unable to preview my messages here without losing them entirely, and for some psychological reason, can't seem to edit the first post properly until I see it printed out as it will appear. Does anyone else have this problem? It really bugs me.
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Patty
Pahsimeroi, Idaho

4 D. auratus blue
5 D. galactonotus pumpkin orange splash back
5 D. imitator
6 D. leucomelas
4 D. pumilio Bastimentos
4 D. fantasticus
4 P. terribilis
4 D. reticulatus
4 D. castaneoticus