Some questions on sclerotiums and materials

[Ewan]

Hello, i joined SLIMOCO earlier today, and got my first slime mould a week ago (i descovered them a few weeks before that though). I just have a couple of beginer questions.

Firstly, what is the best material to grow slime mould on? I am currently growing all of them on a few layers of moist toilet paper, although my original one did come on agar, and was wondering what the best (and preferably cheapest) substance to grow it on is.

Also, I was wondering what the best way to make sclerotiums is. I have tried putting a 'cutting' of slime mould (still on its moist toilet paper) on a bed of dry toilet paper with some of those silica gel things under it to speed up the drying out. It seems to have made a sclerotium, but I am currently testing to see if it will revive. Whilst I wait for results, I thought I should ask to see if anyone knows any good techniques for if this doesn't work or that might be better than my current method.

Thanks

[ian]

Hi

Agar looks best but it's a right pain day to day. I use recycled A4 cartridge paper (that stuff too thin to be card but a bit too thick for paper) - it makes a tidy sclerotium when dried an the flat smooth texture shows off the plasmodium nicely. Sugar paper is also good. Coffee filters are OK but the pore size is wide enough for the for the slime to get through - it "burrows'  bit into the surface. 

Sclerotia should take 2-3 days to dry out for best viability, fluffy patches dried a little too quick but will still revive, they're just crunchy and difficult to cut, though the dust works really well. Glossy brown  patches are necrotic and dried too slow. 

I've got tips here - http://www.tinyurl.com/slimemanifesto it's due a big update soon 

[Ewan]

Thanks for the help, ive got some agar agar coming and will have a read of the link.