Bob the Blob (Physarum polycephalum)

Note: Due to weather conditions, shipping is only possible within Germany until spring (exceptions can be discussed upon request)

I am Bob... the Blob!

Known from film and television 😉 (The Blob, 1958). In 2019, I was also given my own dedicated space at the Paris Zoo to showcase my nature and behavior.

I am a myxo, quite unflatteringly also called a slime mold. I am neither animal nor plant. And I am not a fungus, not a bacterium, and not a virus. I am the largest cell on Earth! Like something from another world, yet I was one of the first to be here. I have existed almost unchanged for over 500 million years.

I am the perfect "pet." Low-maintenance and capable of learning. But if you don’t give me what I want, I will break out and find it myself.

A detailed description of me can be found in this blog post...

My Preferences:

• I am born as an amoeboid single cell. In my later development, I join forces with my siblings and we merge. In doing so, we form a single cell with a single membrane that encloses our collective nuclei.
• Under favorable conditions, I am essentially immortal.
• The largest representative of our species reached 5.5 m².
• I can double my size daily under favorable conditions.
• I can perceive my food and actively move toward it at a speed of up to 4 cm per hour.
• I am capable of reaching my food via the shortest path, crossing obstacles, and even finding the shortest route through a maze.
• I feed on fungi, bacteria, and other single-celled organisms, as well as plant and animal remains.
• I am capable of learning and adapting to my environment by memorizing recurring changes, such as drought, and reacting by contracting even when they don't occur as expected.
• I am able to exchange information with members of my species by connecting with them. To do this, we open our cell membranes and become one. We must be connected for at least three hours to exchange information.
• My body is traversed by veins. These are filled with protoplasm and contract regularly, similar to a human heartbeat. This enables my movement. (Visible in video recordings at approximately 5x speed)
• I am the Single-Celled Organism of the Year 2021.
• My counterparts can be divided into at least 720 sexes.
• If my environment becomes dry, I can survive for years in a dormant state as a sclerotium.

Husbandry Requirements:

• Non-toxic and harmless, perfect for children to experiment with and observe. (No shyness for all other interested parties... I am 40 😉)
• A clean environment and hygienic handling are beneficial to avoid transferring germs.
• Oat flakes or flour (I do well with whole-grain rye flour) can be used as food. Once you feel a bit more confident, you are welcome to experiment.
• The advantage of special Kimmig agar is the rapid growth of the myxo. The danger here lies in the equally rapid growth of any introduced fungi. If a culture is overgrown by foreign organisms, a transfer to a new container with clean medium is necessary.
• Sclerotia can be stored dark and dry for months and revived when needed. To do this, place it in a suitable container and moisten it as described below.
• Any container that can retain moisture while ensuring oxygen supply is suitable.
• Agar agar, damp filter paper, or other cellulose materials can be used as growth media.
• Physarum polycephalum requires a moist and dark environment. Additionally, temperatures around 23°C. 10°C is the absolute minimum and 38°C is the absolute maximum.

Provided as a breeding starter culture on filter paper in a 9cm Petri dish. Petri dishes and filter paper for renewing the culture are also available in the shop.

Shipping time: 5-8 business days