Driftwood fungi question

[Shokoon8legs]

So I have a question regarding about the title. Can I reuse the driftwood after cleaning the fungi? I'll be baking it and also freeze it after removing the fungi and use it. I've been thinking if it's ok or not to reuse it.

 

[Smotzer]

what do you mean after cleaning the fungi? Honestly I am totally agaisnt "baking and freezing to sterilize". Saprophytic fungi to woods are not harmful to tarantulas or inverts.

 

[Shokoon8legs]

what do you mean after cleaning the fungi? Honestly I am totally agaisnt "baking and freezing to sterilize". Saprophytic fungi to woods are not harmful to tarantulas or inverts.

Really? New info for me. But the fungi looks like this so really not sure if its harmful or not.

 

[The Snark]

Let us start before word go here.
- All advanced life forms are constantly exposed to spores and various micro-organisms. Natures vaccination program that orients the organisms, their innate immune systems, to their environment.
- And then. most fungi are harmless. See @Smotzer post.
- Cleaning the fungi is removing the fruiting bodies, not the fungi.
- Baking it will both reduce the population of fungi and other micro-organisms. Not a total kill. You need an autoclave for that.
- Freezing it will further reduce the populations and send some into a stasis which will revive later.
- The serious die hard micro-organisms such as stachybotrus chartarum, black mold, can be survivalists and go dormant to revive later.
- And after all that there are still the countless billions of spores floating around in the air and on objects like yourself that can restart the populations.

 

[Shokoon8legs]

Let us start before word go here.
- All advanced life forms are constantly exposed to spores and various micro-organisms. Natures vaccination program that orients the organisms, their innate immune systems, to their environment.
- And then. most fungi are harmless. See @Smotzer post.
- Cleaning the fungi is removing the fruiting bodies, not the fungi.
- Baking it will both reduce the population of fungi and other micro-organisms. Not a total kill. You need an autoclave for that.
- Freezing it will further reduce the populations and send some into a stasis which will revive later.
- The serious die hard micro-organisms such as stachybotrus chartarum, black mold, can be survivalists and go dormant to revive later.
- And after all that there are still the countless billions of spores floating around in the air and on objects like yourself that can restart the populations.

I get what you're talking about. Really helpful info. But the picture above, do you think I should remove it or just stay as it is? It looks the same as the fungi that currently in my P. irminia enclosure

 

[The Snark]

But the picture above, do you think I should remove it or just stay as it is? It looks the same as the fungi that currently in my P. irminia enclosure

Purely guesswork here. In that second picture it appears to be mold with extremely abundant spore production; the gray material. Most molds are opportunistic, that is, any port in the storm, and while they may not be toxic they could accumulate or even grow in the lungs of animals to the degree of occluding oxygen extraction from the air. Most certainly there is a dense cloud of those spores in the air in the containment.

 

[Shokoon8legs]

Purely guesswork here. In that second picture it appears to be mold with extremely abundant spore production; the gray material. Most molds are opportunistic, that is, any port in the storm, and while they may not be toxic they could accumulate or even grow in the lungs of animals to the degree of occluding oxygen extraction from the air. Most certainly there is a dense cloud of those spores in the air in the containment.

Ok, I'll send a pic of the actual image later on. It might be a little different than those.

 

[The Snark]

Ok, I'll send a pic of the actual image later on. It might be a little different than those.

That would help. In that second picture the substance is strongly reminiscent of a slime mold.

 

[viper69]

what do you mean after cleaning the fungi? .

My thoughts too- do I need to bring Tide for this ?

 

[Shokoon8legs]

That would help. In that second picture the substance is strongly reminiscent of a slime mold.

This are the pics

 

[The Snark]

I think we need a mycologist to tell us what we are looking at. As a general rule those folks can nail down which mold and fungi is what at a glance where the casual bio interested are purely guessing. A mycology major at college was my neighbor and capably identify every fungi from San Francisco to the San Juan Islands using shapes, colors, odors, environments, spore patterns, prevailing weather and even the time of year. Pointing at a bump of something under the dirt he commented, 'rains last night so that's a chanterelle. These trees and the terrain a dead giveaway.'

 

[Kada]

For me, I worry less of the fungi spore species and more of the lack of air flow blowing the spores away. as would happen outdoors. I remove fruiting bodies if the cage isn't ultra open (most spider enclosures). Open paludariums I let them be.

 

[The Snark]

I remove fruiting bodies

If a person wants a little entertainment doing this, H2O2 50% on a q-tip plays unholy hell with them. Up side, it's non toxic and reduces to water after a while. With due caution it can be used on surfaces while the animal is present. Just make certain the liquid doesn't come in direct contact and is allowed to dry. The down side is it is corrosive, an oxidizer - bleaching agent, whiter than white, and can remove your fingerprints and chew up other sensitive parts of your body if not cautious. Gloves and eye protection strongly advised.
Great for spot removal of visible fungal growth but won't soak in. It's not particularly wet. Another reason the common diluted version is not used as an antiseptic more often.