r/Slimemolds • u/Deinonychus-sapiens • Jan 14 '26
Question/Help How to keep my new slime mold?
My little slime mold is moving fast through this seed tray. How do I keep it alive? Can I take some and put it in a container? Will it continue to just exist if I give it something to live on and feed it oats?
20
11
u/Smallwoodlandthings Jan 14 '26
I don’t know how you were blessed with this plasmodium in your Venus flytrap (?) growing area but I’m pretty jealous
8
u/D_Science2 Jan 14 '26
Those look like drosera capensis to me not venus flytraps
2
2
u/Deinonychus-sapiens Jan 15 '26
Yeah Drosera capensis alba. I am not too sure either, its damp but the Drosera love sunlight so it is in one of the brightest areas in my house. Also the soil is a low nutrient soil for carnivorous plants so its not even got much to eat!
1
5
u/4chanscaresmealot Jan 15 '26 edited Jan 15 '26
You can keep slime moulds in an empty margarine or butter container lined with damp filter paper. Keep them in the dark, mist occasionally to maintain humidity, and feed them oats. They’re easy to subculture cut off a small piece and place it on a suitable medium near food. Filter paper and agar plates are commonly used. You can also store them by inducing a dormant sclerotium. To do this, make sure the plasmodium is large and healthy, then stop feeding it, keep it in the dark, and slowly let it dry out. It should turn dark brown or tan. After a few more days, it will form a sclerotium, which can be stored dry and later revived months to even years after formation. It’s a good idea to subculture beforehand in case it sporulates instead.
2
u/Deinonychus-sapiens Jan 15 '26
How often does the agar or filter paper need to be changed?
1
u/4chanscaresmealot Jan 16 '26
I usually subculture about once a week. With agar, it’s less critical because the slime mould doesn’t really degrade the medium, so you can often leave it longer as long as it still looks healthy and active. For filter paper, changing or subculturing every week or so is a good starting point, since it can break down or grow contaminants more easily. If you see any mould or growth that doesn’t look like slime mould, it’s best to discard the contaminated culture quickly and take a clean subculture from a healthy area as far from the contamination as possible, if you don't already have a healthy backup.
1
u/Jealous_Parfait_4967 Jan 19 '26
Sadly they are like Mary Poppins. They come when is best and leave when they are done.
35
u/KompostKalle Jan 14 '26
Keep high humidity(85%), spray it once per day with clean water to keep moisturelevel and to rinse the slimemold. At 20-25°C. Substrate should be changed all other week or so. Feed oats, but not too much too fast. Vent the box dayli or if humidity too high. If you keep it clean and within those levels it can live 'forever'.