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Do Pill Bugs (Roly-polies) eat mold?


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8 replies to this topic

#1 Offline Ender Ants - Posted November 16 2017 - 4:44 PM

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There is some white mold (looks like cotton) has started to grow on my branches, and food in my eternal terrarium. The only problem is that I need reassurance that the mold will not be harmful to the organisms inside of the eternal terrarium. I've read that roly-polies do eat mold, but there are other sources that say that you should remove any food that starts to create mold. 

 

Thanks in advance!


Edited by Ender Ants, November 16 2017 - 4:45 PM.

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#2 Offline Connectimyrmex - Posted November 16 2017 - 6:01 PM

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Springtails tend to eat mold a bit better than pillbugs. Pillbugs defecate a lot, which would in fact help the spread of mold.

 

Don't add any more food for now. That may discourage the mold's spread.

There's also a possibility that you actually have some sort of while slime mold in your terrarium.


Edited by Connectimyrmex, November 16 2017 - 6:02 PM.

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#3 Offline Hunter - Posted November 17 2017 - 5:19 AM

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i would remove the branches slowly and don't disturb it, then drop it in bleach for 30 mins then rinse it off



#4 Offline Connectimyrmex - Posted November 17 2017 - 9:36 AM

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Wouldn't that destroy the terrarium's microfauna?


Hawaiiant (Ben)

Keeper of
Miniature Labradoodle
Baby Wolf Spider
Mud Dauber wasp larvae
Ochetellus Glaber
Solenopsis Geminata
Brachymyrmex Obscurior
Cardiocondyla Emeryi
Tetramorium Bicarinatum
Plagiolepis Alluaudi
Anoplolepis Gracilipes
Technomyrmex Difficilis
Pheidole Megacephala
Aholehole fish
Cowrie snail
Sea Fan Worm
100+ sea squirts
Tree seedlings
Ghost Crab
Day Gecko
Small Fat Centipede
Endemic Lacewing larva
Vernal Pool shrimps

#5 Offline Hunter - Posted November 17 2017 - 10:05 AM

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Wouldn't that destroy the terrarium's microfauna?

yea he would need to redo that



#6 Offline BMM - Posted November 17 2017 - 10:23 AM

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There is some white mold (looks like cotton) has started to grow on my branches, and food in my eternal terrarium. The only problem is that I need reassurance that the mold will not be harmful to the organisms inside of the eternal terrarium. I've read that roly-polies do eat mold, but there are other sources that say that you should remove any food that starts to create mold. 

 

Thanks in advance!

 

Isopods don't eat mold. They just eat things that would get moldy. 

 

Springtails tend to eat mold a bit better than pillbugs. Pillbugs defecate a lot, which would in fact help the spread of mold.

 

I agree that springtails are the better option for mold control. However, isopod feces isn't generally going to cause molding because their young feed on it. 



#7 Offline mbullock42086 - Posted November 17 2017 - 1:54 PM

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they will eat mycelium, but not fruiting bodies.  They love soft rotted wood the most



#8 Offline Ender Ants - Posted November 17 2017 - 4:12 PM

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they will eat mycelium, but not fruiting bodies.  They love soft rotted wood the most

ah, that makes sense since they always lay on top of it 


Edited by Ender Ants, November 17 2017 - 4:12 PM.


#9 Offline Hunter - Posted November 17 2017 - 5:50 PM

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they will eat mycelium, but not fruiting bodies.  They love soft rotted wood the most

and leaves






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