# Mold in hydei culture



## hysteresis (May 5, 2019)

Hey all. I tried to search but didn't find a hit. 

My hydei culture started producing mold along the top. I've had it about a week and a half (store bought) , so I'm assuming eggs have already been laid. 

According to Orin's post here, larvae will start to eat the mold up. 

Should I keep the culture then? 

Thanks.


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## Synapze (May 5, 2019)

I've had mold issues with cultures and usually (unless it gets too bad) they seem to balance out. Since it's a store bought culture, I suggest keeping it quarantined from any other cultures you may have going. If it gets too out of control, I'd just feed it out and toss it.


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## hysteresis (May 5, 2019)

Yup figured so. Orin says the mold may prevent egg laying. But if they've laid and larvae emerge, they should eat it up. Hopefully this happens. I just have the one culture for nymphs ill be receiving in the 2nd wk of May. Fingers crossed.


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## MantisGirl13 (May 5, 2019)

Hopefully it isn't ruined! I'd still.be careful with feeding them to your mantids as it might not be good for them.

-MantisGirl13


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## hysteresis (May 5, 2019)

Well that's the thing. The larvae eat the mold. I think the mold hurts a mantis if it's in their enclosure and gets into their spiracles. Am I right?

Anyways, this culture is for Blepharopsis and Rhombodera. The bleph cups can't mold. Rhombos do okay at 40 to 60pct humidity and typically get tons of ventilation. I figure I can still feed that culture out regardless. 

Do you agree? You know I'm still learning basics.


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## MantisGirl13 (May 5, 2019)

Idk. I've always thrown out moldy cultures...

- MantisGirl13


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## hysteresis (May 5, 2019)

Here I am dropping mad cash into this hobby and I'm crying over a store bought a $15CAD hydei culture. I look ridiculous! 

Thing is, I won't need that culture for long. I figure I'll have to gear up with a full melano culture and a full hydei culture right behind it. If I am successful with my breeding endeavours. 

There's still Lola's ooth. Maybe it'll drop a few nymphs EVEN if it was a putzy weak lastlaid ooth. 

I heard M. religiosa i1 nymphs are too small for even melanogaster?


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## MantisGirl13 (May 5, 2019)

No use crying over a moldy culture! I've never raised Europeans from L1 so I can't help you with that, sorry! I have heard mixed answers to your question. Some say they are too small, others say they eat melos just fine!

- MantisGirl13


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## hysteresis (May 5, 2019)

MantisGirl13 said:


> No use crying over a moldy culture! I've never raised Europeans from L1 so I can't help you with that, sorry! I have heard mixed answers to your question. Some say they are too small, others say they eat melos just fine!
> 
> - MantisGirl13


True the no crying, but I'll have ~18 hungry i2/i3 stalli, basalis, and mendica babies in a week and a bit. 

Kinda late to start over.


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## MantisGirl13 (May 5, 2019)

Ok, good point. Um, you could try starting a new culture with the flies you have I guess. Is this your only culture? You could also try feeding the flies to the mantids and carefully monitor their health for the next few days. 

- MantisGirl13


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## hysteresis (May 5, 2019)

If it's an issue, maybe I'll hand feed the stalli something else, as they're likely i3 going into i4.

Culture.... In my case, I also have the store I bought it at, and also the person that locally makes and provides these cultures to that store. That's actually how I learned of the store. I know the guy that sells them to the store. Anyways, maybe I can repair the culture through them. They only furnish full producing cultures by request. Lead time is 3 weeks.


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## FeistyMcGrudle (May 5, 2019)

I've bought three cultures from the corporate pet store in town, and they all molded before the culture ran out. I was worried about spores carrying over to the enclosures so I tossed them. Luckily the last time I bought them my mantises molted and could take BB's so I wasn't out too much ¯\_(ツ)_/¯


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## MantisGirl13 (May 5, 2019)

I think the PetSmart near me puts mold inhibitor in their cultures. I've never had a problem. When I made !my own !medium I got mold, but now I buy the dry medium with mild inhibitor from Carolina.com.

- MantisGirl13


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## hysteresis (May 5, 2019)

Should keep a culture going at all times if I'm going to do this seriously, hey?


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## hysteresis (May 5, 2019)

FeistyMcGrudle said:


> I've bought three cultures from the corporate pet store in town, and they all molded before the culture ran out. I was worried about spores carrying over to the enclosures so I tossed them. Luckily the last time I bought them my mantises molted and could take BB's so I wasn't out too much ¯\_(ツ)_/¯


I use disposable cotton pads, so I rinse my cups every few days at pad change. 

We'll see. I'll give it a few days and see if it clears up.


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## hysteresis (May 5, 2019)

FeistyMcGrudle said:


> I've bought three cultures from the corporate pet store in town, and they all molded before the culture ran out. I was worried about spores carrying over to the enclosures so I tossed them. Luckily the last time I bought them my mantises molted and could take BB's so I wasn't out too much ¯\_(ツ)_/¯


I use disposable cotton pads, so I rinse my cups every few days at pad change. 

We'll see. I'll give it a few days and see if it clears up.


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## MantisGirl13 (May 5, 2019)

hysteresis said:


> Should keep a culture going at all times if I'm going to do this seriously, hey?


You only just figured this out?! Lol 

Btw, you double posted.

- MantisGirl13


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## hysteresis (May 11, 2019)

The hydei culture is much improved. The larvae are eating everything up. 

Should start popping soon with all the larvae in there.


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## MantisGirl13 (May 11, 2019)

Awesome!!! I'm glad everything worked out.

- MantisGirl13


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## Viking (May 11, 2019)

The advice on my instruction on my ff mix. If mold forms mist with RO mold. I have seen go away. I am gearing up production because I am feeding frogs and geckos. The truth is the environment is full of spores always. How do you think new aquariums get the bacteria to cycle?


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## hysteresis (May 11, 2019)

I followed Orin's advice on his pinned post. It truly cleaned itself up. The larvae are eating it all up. I couldn't see well through the cup before. Now it's easy to see straight across. 

I have a melano culture coming with my babies (never have used malanogaster before), but at i2 I'm sure both stalli and bleph will take hydei.


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