Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I have a small, 10 gal tank.. it is my display tank for local tree frogs. It has been kept planted for a couple years now and within the last few weeks has developed yellow mold spores in the soil...just below the moss. Don't know why or how to get rid of it.

There are live plants in pots, and silk plants out of pots (easier to change out). I am trying to get real plants to live in this tiny tank so there is a soil coco-mulch mix on top of large rocks for drainage. The moss is flukers...cause it is dyed green and looks better. And the real wood is aged grapevines. The frogs do not live in this tank, but are only placed in it for display purposes..

I don't know why I am getting spores all of a sudden. Nothing has changed in years, except for a little moving pots around. How can I fix problem? Or do I need to do a complete re-do..

Mold happens when there is not enough air circulation in the tank.

Mold spores are everywhere, and there are literally millions of spores in any and every given cubic meter of air. Like all other flora, it competes for resources and food. Provide it with the right environment, and it will grow.

The dyed moss from Fluker's is, I am sorry to say, just dead crap. As it decomposes, it will provide a wet environment for the mold to grow.

Your screen name gives me the impression you are in Oregon. Why don't you just go out and get some nice deerfern moss locally? It grows naturally throughout the northwest. Deerfern under a T8 bulb (go for the whitest light you can get) will grow and out-compete mold easily, and can handle the wet environment pretty well. (though contrary to popular belief, wet environments are not usually a good thing for tree frogs - more red eyes and the like are wasted each year with too much wet and not enough air circulation...)

Also, get rid of the gravel drainage. Instead, go with a false bottom setup, that will allow the water to drain straight through, and allow you to siphon off the water when it starts to get deep.

Good luck. Jack up the air circulation, and the tree frogs can live in there full time!
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John Gibeau
US Army (Retired)
Queen Creek, AZ

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