HCA: Hermit Crab Association

Hello,

I’ve been noticing this past month I have these white things sprouting in my tank! I have no idea where they are coming from, and even though everytime I see one and I pull it out of the tank more appear and some deeper in the substrate. What are these? Are they bad or are they something the crabs can eat?

They kinda gross me out a bit tbh. Is there a way to stop them from sprouting?

Thanks!

Kelly



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Hi! They look like little mushrooms to me, but don't know what kind. They are probably dropping spores, which makes more mushrooms. I wouldn't think they are harmful, but maybe someone else better with fungi ID can answer that.

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Yeah, these are a common mushroom to find in high humidity tanks and houseplants. The other ones are yellow. All are harmless to crabs but pulling them at this stage will prevent spores from spreading. I haven't found a way to deal with them other than using saltwater to mix up the substrate for the first time. They often eventually stop growing on their own, but they can keep popping up for months at a time.

I'm in an epic battle in several of my enclosures with mushrooms at the moment. I hate them, I'm allergic, and it's a pain to replace soil.

Thank you guys! It makes me feel better they are likely mushrooms! I keep pulling them out as soon as I see them and they somehow are sprouting deeper in the substrate so sometimes is hard for me to see them and get down there to pull it out!

I have 2 crabs that are molting somewhere in the tank so I’m trying not to disturb them but at the same time I’m like I can’t leave those growing cuz then I could have a real problem of a ton growing!

I wonder how they got their in the first place. Is it a seed they grow from or they just naturally grow in that environment?

Thanks for your help!!!


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All it takes is a single spore and those can travel really far. I sometimes worry the cocofiber comes with it, too. It always seems to start in my newest tanks whenever I get an outbreak.