Christy here.
Unfortunately, I have lots of experience with mold issues being in the construction law realm, and on a personal note I am highly allergic to all molds and fungus, so I feel your pain.
Here is what you need to do.
First, if you have mushrooms growing in your house, you have a fungal problem, and very likely there is other species of fungi/mold growing behind your wall or on your drywall. So immediately call your insurance company. Many policies limit mold coverage to $5000 or exclude it all together, but it can't hurt to try. Pull out your policy, and read it. A mold limitation should be on a separate endorsement sheet in the back. Remember though, you are in a situation where not all of your damage is from mold, but from a water event, so there should at least be coverage for your water damage part (unless they try to exclude you due to it being a fish tank problem). Bottom line, it never hurts to try.
Second, at this point, you do not need a "test" for mold. You know you have a problem since you have visible mushroom growth. And no, tests are not free. A mold test by a bad company thats not certified can cost up to $100. A mold test done by a certified mold remediator/hygenist and a licensed lab can cost upwards of $800. So don't pay for this now since you know you have a problem. Pay for a test after you have done all of your remediation to confirm that you have cleared your house. And remember, in Florida, mold is ever present everywhere, so there is no real way to "test" for it. The good, legitimate companies will take air samples in your home and outside of your home. Basically, if the mold spore counts from in your home are substantially elevated over what is naturally occurring in the air outside, you know you still have a problem.
Another thing about mold, most common molds are not "toxic" like some mold companies like to claim. There are very few species that are toxic. For more info on this, you can go to the CDCs website. However, if you are an individual such as myself who is allergic to all molds (good and bad), you can have some serious respiratory recussions as a result. So this is something that you should not take lightly, and try to immediately remedy. If you are having an allergic respiratory response, they should resolve once you clear your house.
So how to clear your house - you can go about it two ways. You can read up on it and try to do it yourself, or you can hire a professional mold remediation company. Given your health concerns, I don't think doing it yourself is a good idea. In the past, I have used John Koenig of Total Restoration and he does a very good job of clearing contamination at a not so insane price. Understand that there will be ranges of price for mold restoration from a couple hundred dollars to $20,000. You will get handymen who will basically just replace your drywall and call it done (not a good way of going about it since the mold will grow back) to companies that will basically try to rebuild your home. So you need to find a reasonable medium. In your situation, here is probably what will need to be done. Carpet and all affected porous construction materials (drywall, carpet padding etc.) will need to be ripped out and replaced. If you are really attached to your carpet there is a cleaning process, but its really just better to bite the bullet and rip it out. Your walls will be opened, and the interior portions will be cleaned and treated with an antimicrobial anti fungal solution. Your subfloors will also be treated. This should all really be done in a contained area (where they drape plastic) to keep the spores from getting airborn and spreading to other areas while the ripping up it taking place. HEPA air scrubbers should be run to clean any spores out of the air. And, your A/C system should be inspected to make sure it has not been contaminated. Because of the moisture in A/C systems, if you get mold in your house, and the spores are airborn, it can contaminate the A/C system.
I am sorry for your ordeal, but please don't blame the fishtank, unfortunately there is no avoiding mold in Florida and water intrusion of any kind (leaky faucet, toilet overflow) can cause a problem.
Oh, and yes, wallpaper is a bad idea in Florida, unless you are going to perforate it to allow the moisture to breathe. Better to just stick with paint though, and always remember to use Killz in places where moisture is present (bathrooms, kitchens, near fishtanks).
Hope this helps. Total Restoration's number is 954-829-7768. Their owner is also an insurance adjuster, so he can often lend help with claims. Remember to call your own insurance company. They might have their own people for this. Good Luck.
--Christy
