Fungus,mould or neither?
 

I was doing some repotting today and I noticed that on my paph maudiae there was some strange growth growing quite happily in the medium bark medium. Humph, I had quite a scare when I spotted it because at first I thought that it was fungus but now that I think about it I think that it could be a dandelion clock seed that actually managed to germinate in my medium! - the cheek!! Does anyone know what might have caused this to happen? I have obviously repotted my paph and poured h/p on it just to be safe.
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They look like weed roots. I suppose they could be fungal hyphae, but even so there would be no reason to worry about it; fungi are everywhere and most don't pose any danger to your plants. I would think that dumping HP on them is likely the more harmful of the two.

Really? I thought that HP was good for infections. Well it's good to know that it isn't harmful so thanks for putting my mind at rest.

hydrogen peroxide (3%) shouldn't harm anything. I've used it.

I don't know what you have there, but does look more like some type of plant rather than fungus - but I'm certainly no expert on fungi. For the most part, fungus in the media itself probably isn't harmful, tho would make me think the media may need to be replaced and/or make me consider culture - too much water? more air movement needed?

I get weeds growing in my orchid pots, especially if they are grown outdoors. Sometimes new plants may have seeds from weeds or other plants in the media. Same goes for fungus spores and such. I once had a wood mount that got several little mushrooms growing in some small holes in the wood - don't know where they came from, but in the recessed areas, I suppose it stayed moist and not too much light hitting it. It happens.

It looks to me that it is some kind of root mass from a weed. As for fungus in the medium, it's not going to hurt the plant. Fungal spores are everywhere. They are in the air and most deffenitlly in soil and plant media. Your not going to get rid of it with hydrogen peroxide. Fungus is what breaks down plant matter and other things into soil. If the actual plant is infected that is different. But a plant growing in fungi isn't necisairily going to be infected whith it. Fungi is part of our world and is all around us and plants. Orchid seed actually needs a certain kind of fungi to germinate in the wild. If you tested any of your plants medium for fungi it would be there.

Thanks for the advice everyone. I have repotted now into a clear pot so I can keep an eye on just how moist my paph is. I hope that I won't be posting a pic in a few months time of a beautiful yellow dandelion instead of my beautiful maudiae alba!

Well, dandelions are cheerful ;) Over winter, I know my Paphs stay quite moist for quite some time, haven't gotten any fungus. I have read Paphs DO like fresh media and should be repotted annually. Whatever you found growing was probably a hitchhiker, and after repot you should be good.