r/terrariums 15h ago

Plant Help/Question So this happened.

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It just showed up over night? Is it aliens?

53 Upvotes

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37

u/krrbystorm 15h ago

Mushroom! Signs of a good ecosystem in your terrarium.

3

u/SelkirkSweetie 15h ago

I have springtails and isopods, the internet was a little conflicting. Will they be safe with the mushroom?

4

u/Eiroth 15h ago

yes

17

u/SelkirkSweetie 15h ago

I teach sometimes and a science teacher gave me baby isopods and I carried them in a little jar all day and had my students address them as my children. I’m a little attached lol

4

u/Eiroth 15h ago

!!!

That's the most adorable thing I've heard all day

3

u/Eiroth 15h ago

Revising my confident yes to a more informed one: the most common species of Leucocoprinus found in plant pots has by some been reported as "potentially mildly toxic to humans". However, given lack of evidence and diffuse/low severity it's more likely that they are merely somewhat hard to digest and may cause some GI upset.

Here's someone who tried some for themselves and didn't experience any particular bad effects: https://www.reddit.com/r/mycology/s/X1w7pCzskf

Now, this may all be irrelevant as I don't know if isopods react completely differently, but I would be severely surprised given how common members of this genus are and the resilience of isopods!

TL;DR: I would personally not worry at all, but I sadly cannot point you to a scientific study specifically proving them to be safe for isopods.

2

u/Alef1234567 13h ago

There aren't studies like that becouse that would not be funded. There are environmental toxicology studies using isopods.
But isopods are extremely hardy. Everything once decomposes and then isopods could eat it.

2

u/Eiroth 8h ago

Can't believe our society doesn't support toxicology for isopods

3

u/krrbystorm 15h ago

Should be fine, mine love to eat them as soon as they start to die. I’ve only had inkcap mushrooms though, so ymmv.

1

u/jeezyjames 13h ago

They’ll love it!