Mold in an Isopod Enclosure - How to Prevent AND Fix Mold Issues

[@SupremeGecko]

Shop for isopods NOW----> supremegecko.square.site/s/shop

[@Texasbiologyhelp]

very well thought out video, gave me a couple of ideas, personally just removing it seems to be a no brainer to me. When It shows up I tinker. I might add a few more ventilation holes, or feed less or stop feeding some things. Maybe spray less. I try to change one thing and give it time. I use bottle caps and milk jug caps to put supplemental foods in, then just throw them away when they get soiled. I find sometimes it gives a boost to my springtail population as I will find a concentration in the caps. Then I can use the caps to seed a new enclosure.

[@SupremeGecko]

@@Texasbiologyhelp It IS a grey area for sure- how much to feed vs. the mold issue. Thanks for watching and the nice comment.

[@reneryan8427]

That intro was killer 🤣. And lots of great info in here regarding the mold debate.

[@SupremeGecko]

Thanks. It was a lot of fun to do.

[@siyg]

Oh my gosh, I love it when you do intros like these, the transitions felt so amazing!

[@SupremeGecko]

:) Thank you so much. Our next video will have something like this.

[@JamieOates-s1e]

yes always seems to be in the newer bins, once established seems ok

[@SupremeGecko]

Yes

[@Evelighte]

yeah this just happened to my new P. pruinosus culture. i just grabbed out what i could and added some springtails to help battle what i couldnt see/get. hopefully it’ll be fine now.

[@UntheUmbreon]

thank you for so much useful information! i'm in the process of setting up my first ever isopod enclosure for a culture of percellio scaber 'orange dalmatian' and you're my go-to for the questions and concerns that i've had through my process thus far!

[@SupremeGecko]

Thank you VERY much. I appreciate the confidence..... and the support.

[@aquaticproducts4274]

I actually started working on setting up a isopod culture today for a species called Porcellionides pruinosus and it just has leaf litter and substrate(waiting for the bark now) and this was extremely useful!

[@SupremeGecko]

Very glad I could help.

[@oceandizzle7]

The sandwhich you made barley spreading the jam, looks like one of my kids' spreading jam on there PB&J 🤣🤣😂 Thanks for sharing!! Very awesome video!!!

[@SupremeGecko]

I know! Not my normal sandwich. When you do things for the camera, sometimes they don't come across that well :) Thanks.

[@oceandizzle7]

@@SupremeGecko Lol, the things we do for a point 🤷😂🤣😂 Thanks for getting back to me about my mold problem as well! Much love and positive vibes your way!

[@SupremeGecko]

@@oceandizzle7 And to you.

[@venusflytrap1927]

This video was so informative and probably took less time to get this information than if I were to google and comb through forums one by one! Thanks so much man you deserve a sub

[@SupremeGecko]

That is amazing of you to say. Thank you!

[@herb4678]

I just found your channel, and have been sitting here and watching all night.... youre very informative, have a lot of experience, and not boring LOL

[@SupremeGecko]

.

[@StingersNScales]

The intro is great! I want a PB&J sandwich now... Great information! I've only had a few issues with mold. The worst was from not cycling my substrate first. Since then I try to plan ahead.

[@SupremeGecko]

YES!!!! It takes more time but WELL worth it. Thank you so much.

[@sirblue5586]

Cycling substrate???

[@PlecsExotics3]

Great video. Mold has recently been growing in my Agnara sp. Enclosure, thanks. It's so annoying when there's mold. Great video!

[@SupremeGecko]

It is. Good luck getting rid of it.

[@sandysizemore1828]

Thanks for the info Wally and Nannette. Hope to meet you all some day :))

[@SupremeGecko]

That would be a BLAST!

[@mpk6664]

Thanks for the advice. Just removed a moldy leaf and added some fresh springtails. Hopefully I caught it in time.

[@SupremeGecko]

I'm sure you did. That's all we can really do.

[@emilywilson3963]

Love the new kind of intro!

[@SupremeGecko]

These are always fun to do.

[@wamiyo152]

I bought a pre made isopod enclosure at NARBC and it had both death armadillium in the pinecone and mold present in the tank because the morning wood would mold overnight. I had to be careful and clean out the tank

[@SupremeGecko]

I am so sorry. Message me on FB if you EVER have any specific questions.

[@wamiyo152]

@@SupremeGecko why be sorry it's not like it's your fault. I will remember to ask though when a question comes up

[@SupremeGecko]

@@wamiyo152 Well, I always feel bad when this type of thing happens to people.

[@siyg]

3:16 doesn’t it say here that springtails and isopods don’t eat mold? I got into an argument with someone recently about springtails eating mold

[@SupremeGecko]

You have a bit to unfold in your reply. I think you are asking a couple things- 1) Do springtails eat mold. Answer YES. proven. 2) Do isopods eat mold. Well that is exactly what this segment in the middle is all about. From about 3 minutes to 5, I answer this question. So you don't need to argue with anyone, just point them to this video and have them watch that small segment.

[@Aquarimax]

Great points, Wally! I agree! 👍👍🏽👍👍🏽

[@SupremeGecko]

Thanks Rus. I just kept reading that Mold was ok, mold is a food source, mold is gold :) I had to say something!!! ;)

[@Aquarimax]

@@SupremeGecko Glad you did. In extreme cases, especially in cultures with limited ventilation, mold could potentially use up too much oxygen and crash the culture completely…and very small isopods especially could get tangled in the cottony growths.

[@SupremeGecko]

@@Aquarimax Great point! Did you see the picture in the video of the isopod covered in mold. Blaaaaah!

[@frankdughtank8327]

Excellent Video Wally

[@SupremeGecko]

Thank you buddy.

[@StaticFPV]

Both of my isopod tanks have mold growing under their wood huts. Got super concerned and turned to your video. Thank you so much for the information. Gonna give some springtails a run

[@SupremeGecko]

Glad to help. Good luck and keep me posted.

[@emilywilson3963]

These are great tips!

[@SupremeGecko]

Thank you. Hope it helps people

[@grettelguerra7511]

Wally, I’m so excited for this video! I’m new to isopods and I’ve been noticing mold on my fish pellets. The two cultures I’m most worried about are my new Porcellio Ornatus High Yellow and Porcellio Haasi. I only have 10 individuals in each culture so each individual is precious. I’ve already lost one Ornatus and don’t want to lose more.

[@SupremeGecko]

I hope this helps and, please let me know if I can help whatsoever. Great isopods. Good luck with them!

[@baker4132]

Throw in some springtails

[@SupremeGecko]

@@baker4132 that is mentioned in the video but thank you for mentioning again.

[@ScaryFear]

Wonderful timing. I needed this. My husband and I went to the trouble of collecting leavings. We have magnolias everywhere near me. Why buy when they are free right? I boiled them to disinfect and dried them. I'm in FL so I should have known that "dry" outside is not possible. I put them in one enclosure and the other in a big gallon bag to use later for bioactive. They molded. I watched more videos and learned I didn't boil them long enough and probably didn't dry them right. I threw everything away and it's been raining. We're in our rainy season. We have two seasons. Wet and dry. Very disappointing. No one needs to tell me mold is bad. Everything is fine now except I need to get new disinfected leaves again.

[@SupremeGecko]

Sorry to hear SF. :) Sometimes though, we have to go through experiences like this to learn... and NOBODY goes through more of these type of experiences than me! Good luck.

[@ScaryFear]

@@SupremeGecko Thanks. I also learned to not cover my soil as soon as a put it in the box or that builds humidity even with vent holes. So now I let the soil air out over night and stir it so it's not overly moist when I add my bugs.

[@SupremeGecko]

@@ScaryFear Wow, great great point. That's what I love about this community is the sharing of info. Thanks!

[@ScaryFear]

@@SupremeGecko Oh now prob. Wow glad to help you. Didn't think that would happen. Yeah I buy the zilla soil after you recommended it. It is great but comes very moist out of the bag and that was a huge problem for me with my first shoe boxes I made.

[@SupremeGecko]

@@ScaryFear another good reason to set up a couple weeks early, minimum

[@freddaghost]

Just getting started on my isopod journey, I've had mold issues starting to rear there ugly head. Hopefully your tips will nip it it the butt!

[@SupremeGecko]

I hope so. (we all have them). Just let me know if you have questions.

[@glencannon1139]

I have had mushrooms pop up on occasion but did not have any real mold until I switched the room I kept them in last year. I had three of the 21 colonies that developed mold in the Sphagnum moss. I added Springtails at every maintenance cycle they were able to get rid of the mold in one of the bins but the other two were not getting any better so I moved the Isopods and destroyed the substrate and Sphagnum moss of those two.

[@SupremeGecko]

Right. Sometimes mold is an easy thing to take care of but other times it just cannot be stopped.

[@taeviansworldofreptiles3828]

I have had mold start to show up and mixed it in a bit and it disappeared within a week as the springtails got to it. It never spread past a little. But definitely a great video topic and will keep the steps you mentioned in mind the next time it happens.

[@SupremeGecko]

I occasionally see a bit in a tub here or there and immediately respond. I think as long as we do that, we're good to go.

[@ChantalsCritters]

Great information as always

[@SupremeGecko]

Thank you so much TC.

[@Dee-zv4ex]

Subscribed right after that intro bit

[@SupremeGecko]

So it takes eating mold to get subscribers :) Thank you very much. I appreciate the support.

[@Dee-zv4ex]

@@SupremeGecko well didn’t you know? All the big KZbinrs have been eating sh!t lmao seriously tho, appreciate the humor mixed in with great info

[@chrisr4482]

I just started an isopod enclosure after years of springtails. I found what I thought was treasure in a spongy chunk of decaying wood out in the woods. I did what I thought was right, and baked it @ 250 for like 2 hrs. Sure enough, as soon as it got damp again in the enclosure, mycelium (or white fuzz) popped out of it. I didn't get the springtails fully introduced before the dwarf whites showed up, but a few days in, it seems to be fizzling out. Fingers 🤞 I don't have to start all over.

[@SupremeGecko]

Good luck. We all go through this.

[@StripeGurger]

Fantastic video - I especially loved the skit at the start, creativity like that really makes your channel special. I've only been keeping isopods for about eight months, so I'm definitely a rookie with only a handful of species under my care, but from what I've learnt as I go, if you feed scraps: put them in established colonies that will consume it fairly quickly - don't put stuff in there that'll sit around for a week. If the tub isn't established well yet, stick with leaf-matter and some supplements only, otherwise you're inviting in cat hair mould no matter how well seeded you are with springtails. I have a follow-up question for you though, Wally: how do you deal with fungus gnats?

[@SupremeGecko]

Thank you very much for the nice comments. Yes, great points. I ALWAYS think of points i would I would have added to these videos after the fact and these are wonderful items I should have added. Fungus gnats- yellow fly strips. BUT, in an established tub, you really don't get as many.

[@kit6132]

Your videos are so helpful! Really keeping my isopods thriving which is great for them and my reptiles in the bioactive vivariums❤️

[@SupremeGecko]

Thank you bee so very much. What all are you keeping?

[@kit6132]

@@SupremeGecko I've got crested geckos, mourning geckos and salamanders, and plenty of different isopods! :)

[@SupremeGecko]

@@kit6132 Very cool. Nice collection

[@raisingcanes1427]

I occasionally get mold but always pick it out, instead it seems I have a flower pot fungi problem & I cant seem to figure out whether its harmful to my colonies?? springtails dont touch it & im wondering if I should go in & take it out myself or what I could do to prevent it

[@SupremeGecko]

are you sure the enclosure isn't too damp? You may need to start over with a different substrate.

[@blackraveness]

Maybe this can help to fix your flower pot problem. I had this white mold in my flower pots years ago. I put a layer of bird sand over the flower earth. This fixed my problem, because it dries fast and has no nutrition for the mold.

[@josephsuarez7629]

I got a little bit of mold on the base of a plant that's been doing really well and it's not overwatered. The springtails should take care of it but I haven't been seeing them since adding the isopods

[@SupremeGecko]

You should be able to see the springtails. Did you have a lot? You may wish to consider reordering.

[@rastareptilerescue]

Betcha his Isos ate him springs oh gosh 😂 ​@@SupremeGecko

[@carter_s]

Just got two new enclosures. Both of them started growing mold so I was a bit concerned. Thanks for the tips.

[@SupremeGecko]

You are most welcome. I hope the mold goes away soon.

[@siyg]

Just started a Porcellio Laevis enclosure before I left for vacation. I forgot to add springtails and I came back to lots of mold. Will be removing big chunks of mold and will absolutely flood it with springtails.

[@SupremeGecko]

Ugh! Mold!

[@LifeOfCrestedGecko]

ayo here early hahah love the isopod content keep it up

[@SupremeGecko]

Thanks for joining

[@_kris0505]

Great video as always. You're becoming my isopod idol 👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼

[@SupremeGecko]

Thanks, and thank you for the kind words.

[@preppergirl2866]

How do I get rid of fungus gnats in my terrariums/ vivariums/ and isopods.?? Will they harm anything?

[@SupremeGecko]

They won't harm anything. They do eventually die down. Add air circulation with a small fan. Put up the yellow fly catchers too can help.

[@vladimir6184]

Oh noooo !! I immediately placed my isopods after doing my setup huhu, now i know !! Thanks supreme gecko !!

[@SupremeGecko]

You are most welcome.

[@royalguard2609]

Awesome I love this thank you! I have a Mold issue

[@SupremeGecko]

Sorry to hear. Hope this will help you.

[@Meechisnbun]

What if I have mold in the substrate? 😬😱 I plan on redoing the enclosure and replacing all the substrate, but how do I keep it from happening again? Less moisture and more ventilation? Would a drainage layer help?

[@SupremeGecko]

I would do just that! Less moisture, more ventilation. Good luck.

[@robexotic2.050]

I added limestone to my Cubrais species as instructed. I was wondering would it be beneficial to add limestone to all my ispodes substrates?

[@SupremeGecko]

I add calcium carbonate to all my substrates now and that seems to work fine (limestone is another form of calcium).

[@PetitePhillyLife]

My problem is buying enough springtails to handle the enclosure. I’ve purchased from 2 different locations (one was a 32oz container) and only received a few springtails that seemed to died out in the enclosure both times they were added

[@SupremeGecko]

Have you purchased from Supreme Gecko :) Next time, please do and add a comment- "chatted on KZbin... send me a BUNCH!" :)

[@JeramiahPearce]

Thanks again Wally for another great video. This video almost makes me want to set up enclosures and pretend I have isopods. That way if I get more isopods I will just be ready to go.

[@SupremeGecko]

Funny..... I always have 3 or 4 enclosures going (without isopods) at any time.... just in case (or... so I don't have any excused NOT to get more :)

[@PureAndShrimple]

Thank you thank you thank you!

[@SupremeGecko]

You are MOST welcome!

[@heartrate0]

I'm a few months into keeping a mix of Armadillidium Klugii and Porcellio Scaber (in different containers). I don't see much mold, a few old leaves and stuff but I usually blow off the spring tails and throw them away. I keep food on the dry side on a leaf above the soil. I over feed but a zucchini is less than a dollar so as long as you don't let it get moldy it's okay. For any new keepers like me I would recommend to do your best to keep it down and do something when you see it but it's not such a big deal that you must check 2 times a day for it.

[@SupremeGecko]

Right on!!! But, remember springtails are good for cultures.

[@barbhelle5481]

Great info and lol about your sandwich.

[@SupremeGecko]

I think I scared a lot of people that thought it was really mold!

[@oceandizzle7]

THANKS SO MUCH FOR THIS VIDEO! I do have a problem in enclosure but didn't know how to address it properly. The only reason why I'm afraid of throwing the moss away is becuase my enclosure has babies in it and they are mixed in the moss as well. Do I just separate in a different container and place moldy moss on one side and trap em on the other side with a potatoe??? Please get back to me if you can, I'll try that trick but hopefully you get back to me to maybe give another idea (plz & thx)? Idk. Thanks so much for the information! Your channel is amazing and informative ❤

[@SupremeGecko]

I try to reply to ALL questions within a day. YES! You are spot on with this solution and that is exactly what I would do. Be aware that the mold could be overwhelming for the mancae and could be an issue but again, that would be the best way to go. And, thank you so much for the kind words.

[@ClaraLeekurara83]

I have a terrarium with all kind of rare moss and plants. Have a good amount of isopods and springtails in there as my cleanup crew there. I really don’t want to throw away my moss with mold. It’s on 3 different moss right now. I did take some out but there are still some in there. Is there any suggestions you can give me to deal with this?

[@SupremeGecko]

Hi Clara, thank you for the question. Isopods (as indicated in the video) will not clean up the mold. It really depends on how much mold. If a small amount, you could pick it off. If too much, you may fight a losing battle trying to do that. As well, work on a preventative solution - less humidity / food as that is what the mold really flourishes on.

[@MrsRemi]

I had mold less than a week of setting up my new isopod enclosure! Added the leaves still moist from washing them and there wS too little ventilation. Only 1 of 2 boxes got mold though and it is just a very small amount, so I'm not too worried but I will add more air holes now. Glad the isopods came in late, otherwise I would've added them on day 1 so the tip with waiting is really good.

[@MrsRemi]

@@SupremeGecko added a bunch of ventilation holes! I will check on them frequently, thank you for all the advice

[@SupremeGecko]

Keep me posted

[@MrsRemi]

@@SupremeGecko they seem to be totally fine now! Left the boxes open for a few days to let the humidity levels fall and added springtails :)

[@SupremeGecko]

@@MrsRemi outstanding to hear!

[@jimmysmith4020]

Thank you for all the great information.. I have some captive bred armadillidum vulgaris t- albino's born from my wild cought armadillidum vulgaris. I have had a few die due to excessive mold growth. Hope this helps save the rest.

[@SupremeGecko]

I hope so. Thanks for the comment.

[@Patrick03ish]

For some particular reason my A. Klugi always break out with crazy mold. I find it strange cause I keep their enclosure drier as they prefer things a bit on the drier side. All of my other colonies either have very small amounts that show up and dissappear in a day or so, or I remove it.

[@SupremeGecko]

That is very odd. Anything different in their enclosure?

[@humphreybiggins8295]

the leaf litter i have keeps having spots of greenish mold growing on them, i have a MASSIVE population of springtails that outmatch my ducky population, i probably need more ventilation holes but it just keeps popping up

[@SupremeGecko]

Low ventilation, higher humidity will do this. Good luck!

[@robinalderdesigns]

I have a mushroom spore problem that showed up overnight and it's through almost have the tank and don't know what to do. There really isn't info on this anywhere

[@SupremeGecko]

No there is not. I would say your isopod enclosure might be too damp and not enough ventilation but I am guessing as you didn't mention which isopod you have.

[@brownmounds]

Nice flavomarginatus....

[@SupremeGecko]

Thank you.

[@frankdughtank8327]

Strongly Agree with your last point Cycle the terrarium or whatever your going to keep your isopods in basically how you cycle a fish tank before introducing your fish

[@SupremeGecko]

Right? I keep saying this but I thought for this video, I would give it a rest for once :)

[@sirblue5586]

In one of my closet 16 quart Isopod enclosures, it has a serious mold outbreak. It was because of the mosquito bits, ugh I can't have much ventilation because of fungus gnats outbreaks. I have stickers inside and outside the enclosures. But that enclosure has the most breeding I've ever seen in any of my Isopod Terrariums. Babies literally everywhere, it has some springtails and clickbeetles. I sprayed peppermint anti fungus spray in there. It does have a lot moisture, food is on dry cork bark. I'm thinking of removing the Isopods and other inhabitants and throwing everything away except the bark. But there's so many babies. Armadillium vulgare, and Armadillium Macalatum. What do I do?

[@SupremeGecko]

You mention "I have stickers inside and outside the enclosures." Are these the yellow 'fly' stickers? They might be detrimental to the isopods. It really depends on the amount of mold. If small amounts, remove. If so much that it is impacting the isopods, you may consider restarting.

[@CyanideOwl]

You have fungus gnats because you have mold.

[@Duckhandsfpv]

My terrarium had some mold in a mid layer of the substrate of my powder enclosure. Two days later they had eaten all visible traces.

[@SupremeGecko]

Nice!!!

[@JackTheVulture]

ive been trying to control mold breakouts in the sphagnum moss of one of my enclosures in their wet spot, and its in the substrate now. im trying to increase springtail numbers because if I remove it, ill be removing a ton of my isopods and id rather avoid that.

[@SupremeGecko]

That's when it gets tough. My recommendation- remove the compromised substrate to another container. Add some new substrate. Feed a slice of veggie to the temporary setup, brush off the isopods to the existing container. Let me know if this helps.

[@marvinbonilla3660]

i just got my first isopods and i have an enclosure and they have mold just in the first 3 days, and i have springtails in the enclosure

[@SupremeGecko]

That's crazy. Did the video help?

[@marvinbonilla3660]

yes it did, my problem is that i got very excited with the isopods, and i do have ventilation but do need to get way more, and get more springtails, becasue i got too little of them, and the enclosure is very big, i got it from a friend and said that they would do fine, but idk what to do now, what can i do? i dont have the money for getting new litter or more leaves. thanks a alot for the video, now i know what I am doing wrong. :) @@SupremeGecko

[@SupremeGecko]

@@marvinbonilla3660 Clean the mold out, and go outside to pull more leaves. That's what I would do.

[@rastareptilerescue]

Never got mold wid isopods 20 gall to 90 gall enlcosures fine, but anything small like micro terrariums need isopods or springtails or mold is inevitably gwaan occur

[@SupremeGecko]

Good point!

[@upsetleopard5665]

Good video

[@SupremeGecko]

Thank you very much.

[@poetuliradiant]

I have mold... white mold. Strange thing is...that I find like little "cotton balls" 1/4 inch diameter made of mold puff. And I find some of my armadillidium vulgare covered in this white puff.

[@SupremeGecko]

Sorry to hear this. Uggggh. Hope this video helped.

[@poetuliradiant]

@@SupremeGecko , it sure did ! Thank you very much for your help !

[@kellieblood7928]

Great video as always. Question: I’ve had a few times where I ended up getting mold, when I remove it I’m always afraid there will be babies hiding out in it. 1. Do you think that’s something I should or shouldn’t worry about? Sounds like they may not even go into the mold since it’s not a good source. And 2. If it is something to worry about, do you have any tips on being sure they’re all out? I’d hate to throw some babies away!

[@SupremeGecko]

Great question! Another viewer above had the same point and answered. But summarized, yes. There may be mancae buried in the moss. If you are concerned, you can A) check closely before tossing and B) pull the moss, put it in a small container, feed with a veggie, and tap them off into the adult container if they appear on the veggie.

[@BOB-ud4gy]

You always see the mold after making the whole sandwich! Great video Wally!

[@SupremeGecko]

After taking that first bite!!!! And the same thing with an apple and a worm! Yuck!!! (seriosly did it look like real mold on the sandwich?)

[@brianhoyt2469]

Has anyone tried spot treating mild by spraying it with a diluted food grade 3% hydrogen peroxide solution? That’s a common treatment when growing micro greens and you find white mold on the substrate surface around the base of the stems. Not sure if it would harm the isopods and physically removing it definitely sounds like the best way, but perhaps a light spray of the area afterwards to completely neutralize it could be helpful too?

[@SupremeGecko]

I would not do this. Why add anything to a small contained enclosure for live animals like this. Just not what we do. If you try it and it works, please let me know.

[@evilporpoise6894]

I’ve never got in my isopods enclosure but my powder orange isopods are thriving and breeding like weeds so I’m happy about that

[@SupremeGecko]

That is great to hear. Congratulations and keep up the great work.

[@evilporpoise6894]

Also if you can, can you make a golden gecko care guide the Latin name is (Gekko ulikovskii) I would greatly appreciate it because I would love the for the species to get more popularity then it has right now it’s a very unique to me at least if you do make the video thank you

[@SupremeGecko]

@@evilporpoise6894 I don't keep these geckos

[@themantisgarden]

Isopods will eat slime moulds, but other moulds can introduce bad microbes to their system and possibly kill them. I've honestly never had mould in any of my set-ups, this includes any of my other invert set-ups. I do encourage fungus gnats as I find them terribly useful for feeding mantis nymphs lol - All my set-ups contain 1,000s of springtails which DO eat mould IF there is nothing else more tasty available for them. i.e. if you feed them fish flakes they will ignore mould until the flakes are consumed. I do NOT feed my isopods with fresh fruit or veg very often and when I do then I only ever leave it in there for 12 hours maximum. Wild isopods would not get fresh fruit or veg delivered every day or even week for them to eat, and it is something I feel has been introduced by breeders and is not required, especially if they're given other supplements like fishflakes/ pellets etc. Dead and decaying leaves and white woods are best, same goes for millipedes. You possibly noticed this is a subject I like to rant about after 35+ years of keeping isopods 😆 Great video, Wally!

[@SupremeGecko]

Fantastic information! A lot of great points in this reply. Thank you so much.

[@zyxwfish]

The beginning was great with the moldy sandwich haha. I’ve seen mold in my bins but in my case I know it was from adding too much water to the damp side by accident. My bins have a lot of ventilation. Also from leaving food in too long 😬

[@SupremeGecko]

Thanks. That was fun to record. I always wish I would have included SOMETHING in these videos after recording them and that is the one thing- we still get mold from time to time, we just need to be proactive to take care of it.

[@DEAexotics]

great video and information and I have had mold but I clean it as soon as I see it I always just assumed it could kill my isopods ....thank you for sharing this great information and please keep up the great work ... and I think you needed to add springtails to the PB&J sandwich to eat the mold off the bread last time you added peanut beetles now its time for springtails lol

[@SupremeGecko]

Thank you Andrew..... and, I think I just threw up a little. ;)

[@DEAexotics]

@@SupremeGecko 😆

[@emilywilson3963]

I’ve had mold issues

[@SupremeGecko]

We all do at some point.

[@tricksandtreatspetcare8958]

I have mold in with my dwarf whites and i’m worried for them, I’m getting them a larger encloser- they already live with springtails but I think the enclosure is too small for a moisture gradient

[@SupremeGecko]

How large is the enclosure and can you move them to a larger one?

[@RLamszus1]

Wally stop.... you got peanut butter in my jelly

[@SupremeGecko]

😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

[@martingranzow6624]

Yep

[@SupremeGecko]

Thanks

[@irThumper]

White fuzzy stuff in new bins seem to be inevitable for me, until the bio cycle kicks in. Otherwise I don't "see" a problem (unless our general humidity bumps up) but I have asthma and allergies, so what I don't see my respiratory system still picks up on. But microscopic molds are still part of the bio cycle, and shouldn't go crazy unless things are out of balance. I make sure to wear a mask rated for dust and fine particulates before I do any "deep maintenance" of bins or poke around through the litter and substrate.

[@SupremeGecko]

This is exactly what I meant by start the process up earlier than when you receive your isopods (which maybe you are doing). Let the cycle take care of these issues first. Good point that mold is always there to some degree. Thanks for watching.

[@irThumper]

@@SupremeGecko I'm guilty of not starting bins ahead of time for the most part, but when I do I sure notice a difference. Thanks for providing content worth watching! :D

[@SupremeGecko]

@@irThumper Thanks (and so am guilty!)

[@LunaGeckos]

I wouldn’t worry about the bread. Just a little Penicillin!!! Great video 🌚

[@SupremeGecko]

So I should be fine after eating the moldy bread. ;)

[@JayceSmith-hk3pv]

This is my first time having mold in my isopod enclousure

[@SupremeGecko]

Sorry to hear. Over feeding or too moist? Do you have springtails to help?

[@FusionDeveloper]

Mold and fungus needs stagnant anaerobic conditions, which you don't want for your pets. In nature, if they are near mold / fungus, they are able to briefly walk by them. However, an enclosure is more likely to be 1 environment where if mold / fungus starts, it would take over the entire enclosure.

[@SupremeGecko]

Exactly!!! I hope I made that point clear in the video.

[@gardian1701]

peanut butter and jam to stop mold. got it 👌

[@SupremeGecko]

:)

[@KuvaPefo]

Yoo my wild isopods and their bug jelly never had a problem with mold, but the new mini setup for my Powder Blue Crew got MASSIVE MOLD! Springing from the gel cup no doubt.. Looks like I have more learning to do on these bugs eh. I do or rather, did, spray the living fug outta their habitats whenever it came to mind or I was checking them out. Now I know.. limited wetness, limited food, keep the food in the dry area, and pre-prepare and pre-seed the new habitat weeks before. Right now I'm just going to remove the glob of mold I peeled out of their bug jelly cup.. I left it for the springtails that I've been slowly carefully introducing but maybe they don't need so much eh? Thanks so much for the info!! But I gotta ask, why you making us watch you make a sammich? XD That's so random!

[@KuvaPefo]

My frog tank has a buttload of wild and Dwarf White Isopods in there now.. Gotta figure out how to transfer springtails in now that I have them. There's a big pile of rotting/dead wood in a corner with some bug jelly cups in there.. My Isopod habitats are in little plastic containers, and they just have dirt, dead/roting wood, I often put some carrot bits in or whatever.. It's just kinda randomly put in there.. Now I'm getting better and learning. I'll change my ways.. Thanks again.

[@KuvaPefo]

Now I just have the main Pacman tank, with Radagast the Mossi, a container with a centipede and slugs, and my Powder Blue Isopod Squad. :) I'll fix this..

[@SupremeGecko]

I'm glad this video helped. My sandwich- You didn't notice the mold on the sandwich?!?

[@SupremeGecko]

Put a piece of corkbark over a damp area. In 2 days, the springtails will gather on the corkbark and you can pull it out and then tap it into the enclosure you are moving them into. Hope this helps.

[@SupremeGecko]

Excellent!

[@jaykennedy2256]

I have befor I had a bad mold issue before

[@SupremeGecko]

:) We all certainly have

[@jaykennedy2256]

At one pont and time everyone has I think

[@SupremeGecko]

@@jaykennedy2256 yes.

[@skittlesnacks]

Josh's Frogs sells food for isopods and springtails that purposely molds called Clean-up Crew Cuisine. The reviews say isopods love it. idk

[@SupremeGecko]

I am not a fan of anything in the enclosure that can mold.

[@xiaoranmo7308]

Me before watching the video, 1 don’t put too much food, 2 springtails

[@SupremeGecko]

Right on

[@cowrunning]

don't tell them about the end year giveaway for the comments lol :P. Anyhow, very good info! I have not delt with mold. I have springtails in all my enclosures though.

[@SupremeGecko]

:) I really don't do that enough.

[@rastareptilerescue]

Isopods eat mold but not like crazy so because it a still visible people assume dem nah eat it. Dem eat it, but dem nah eat like crazy. Springtails love mold but isopods only eat it outta necessity

[@SupremeGecko]

You may be right.

[@laslunas2561]

I just got mould on a thing I never thought about that it could mould. A bone. I always check on wood but preparated bone?! It was clean and bleached but laying around for some time so it must have caught some spores I guess. Now I have to iso-propanol it. Unsure if I should put it back in 'cause the moulds probably due to the moisture, as part of the rotting process. But...wood rots too in high moisture 🤔 Guess im just gonna try, if the mold explodes, so be it. And dont worry, I only do plant terras, so no animals would be harmed. My poor fancy plants tho😂

[@SupremeGecko]

Iso-propanol :) I need to see the video on that one!

[@laslunas2561]

@@SupremeGecko Its just disinfectant, 70% iso-propanol, 30% water, no big deal. Dont put it close to fire tho xD Stupid skull, u can rot like wood does, but not mould lol

[@Mercedes_may]

Never had mold in my first bin, But when I set up my second one after about a week I saw what looked like maybe mold or a spiderweb I don’t know but you better believe I ripped that sh💩 out right away lol

[@SupremeGecko]

Right?!!!!?

[@0xJaymes]

lol, this intro is amazing.

[@SupremeGecko]

Thank you. I rewatched it and smiled. Love doing these 'Fake Outs' ;)

[@Hales_storm]

I have had mold before

[@SupremeGecko]

I hope it was something that you were able to overcome quickly.

[@TomokoAbe_]

Mold definitely kills insects and other small animals. It can kill crickets very quickly. Getting rid of old food is very important. I like putting the food on small flattish feeding dishes because it is easier to find and replace.

[@SupremeGecko]

I agree with much of this. I do disagree with food dishes. Isopods do not need food dishes in nature and if we provide dishes in captivity, it just make it harder for them to find their food (especially, IMHO the mancae). If we need to use food dishes, there is something else that might be wrong in their enclosures.

[@clognog8049]

so far my isopods have not had mold yet, witch is very good

[@SupremeGecko]

That IS very good. Congrats.

[@crittergirl3647]

@1:20 - What variety is that?

[@SupremeGecko]

Ahhh, that is probably my favorite isopod- the Porcellio ornatus High Yellow.

[@crittergirl3647]

@@SupremeGecko Thanks for the reply!

[@SupremeGecko]

@@crittergirl3647 you are welcome

[@mumbaiglimpses5761]

That intro cracked me up

[@SupremeGecko]

Thanks :) It was real mold (no it wasn't) :)

[@emilywilson3963]

Oh no that sandwich is all wrong lol

[@SupremeGecko]

:) (shhhhhh..... food coloring :)

[@vberry4613]

Where is my peanut butter and jelly sandwich!?

[@SupremeGecko]

Nummmmm!

[@beachside_Reptiles]

Love the skits

[@SupremeGecko]

Thanks. We love doing them.

[@AggroAggron]

I always find that a very dilluted Hydrogen Peroxide Solution like 1/5 ratio of water can be shockingly effective at spot cleaning mold outbreaks. Consistently treating these spots until my Springtails were fully settled in and strong.

[@SupremeGecko]

Great info. Thanks

[@swayback7375]

H2O2 will nuke most fungus! It’s an effective spray for houseplants or even things like fruiting plants and especially cannabis! The flowers are notorious for molding on the interior of the flower, it starts as powdery mildew but will advance into a grey mold/stem rot. No one wants to eat or smoke fungicide, dilute hydrogen peroxide with water is very effective at wiping out the fungus and it fully breaks down in air and sun so it’s safe to use on consumables even right up to harvest. That said, I’m not sure if it’s safe for isopods, I’m tempted to go test it on some wild ones, I’d wager that at 1:5 ratio it’s probably safe for isopods.

[@PR4WN]

Just started keeping isopods and I got mold almost immediately 😩

[@SupremeGecko]

Sorry David. Hope this helps.

[@PR4WN]

@@SupremeGecko Thanks Wally it did!

[@SupremeGecko]

@@PR4WN Excellent!

[@cnc793]

3:18 neither springtails or isopods eat mild

[@SupremeGecko]

Do you have scientific documentation on this? Thanks.

[@ashleyzuras8006]

I watched this before setting up. Now I have it! I was sick so I didn’t check on them for a week. Some of the mold is green under the cork and white through out the toil soil and leafs.

[@SupremeGecko]

Hope this helps

[@ashleyzuras8006]

Rewatching has helped. I know what to do to fix it. I have springtails and Dairy Cows in there. Everyone looks ok tho.

[@feliciafoster6165]

Did you really eat a moldy piece of bread? Great video.

[@SupremeGecko]

Mayyyyyyyyybe

[@frankdughtank8327]

Wally eats mold to become the Super villain Mold Man

[@SupremeGecko]

aaaaaand, what happened when I ate peanut beetles?

[@frankdughtank8327]

@@SupremeGecko Peanut Beetle King Will Control all Peanut Beetles to take over the world