Want to start fragging.

I want to start fragging. Form what I under stand it is pretty easy to frag rics. I have a few questions however. I am not sure I am ready to slice my ric like a pizza. But apperently the stump will grow a new ric? So could I just cut off the head and leave the sump on the frag plug and attach the rest of the ric to a rock? Also could I use a rubber band to attach it or would a mech of some kind work better? How long will it take to attach? Also how long will it take the stump to grow back?

 

From what I understand about fragging corals like mushrooms and rics, there really is no wrong way to do it. I've heard of some people just slicing the whole thing off and then putting it in a powerhead and letting the pieces go everywhere. Then after a couple of weeks, they have baby mushrooms all over their tank. A little brutal and uncivilized IMO but if it works, then hey. If you just want to slice off a piece and attach it to a rock then that's fine too. As far as getting it to attach, you can either rubber band it or cover it with a fine mesh like bridal veil. It should take a few days for them to attach. I personally have never fragged any of my mushrooms. This is just the info I have gathered from reading other peoples threads and researching how to do it. So I would wait for an experienced fragger to give you some definite advice.

 

You can do a simple in tank half split. Take a razor blade and cut vertically all the way to the rock.. wait a week or two and you should have two whole mushrooms.

 

Really? I have a nice ric I would love to have 2 of if this actually works I might have to try it, just afraid of losing the one I have.

 

I want to start fragging some of the corals and mushrooms in my nano because they are getting too big and I have started buying some of the materials.
I was at a lfs the other day and purchased coral cutters ($15), adhesive glue ($15) and a glue aclerator ($7). I was wondering if the speciality cutters and glue are recommended or if a razor blade and crazy glue work just as well.

Thank you for any recommendations.

 

Bump

 

well ruby star I have never used either of the 2 products you purchased but I know they will be ok
but to answer your question - I use scissors for softies like toadstool or leathers as 1 cut right through is ideal (carpet scissors so they go through 1st time every time)

for mushrooms I use kraft scissors as they are thinner but still sharp enough for a single cut to do the job

glue -when using glue , I use standard super glue for things like SPS frags (OK 1 so far) and Zoas attaching to rocks, plugs etc

with shrooms you dont have to glue , you can place the cut halves or quarters in a plastic tub with the rock in ( the tub stops the shroom pieces being blown about ) and the shroom will stick itself to the rock in about 7 - 10 days IME

Steve

 

Just take a sharp razor and cut the ricordia in half. You may need to repeat this once or twice in the weeks to come as they tend to grow back together. Once they grow apart in a month or so, then you can cut the base of one of the ricordia as close to the rock as possible to prevent extensive damage. Once you have removed it, just leave it in an area with low flow so it can attach to some substrate and then you'll be able to super glue it wherever you like.

Contrary to popular myth (its very entertaining the ones that are circulating) you don't have to cut the ricordia through a mouth. Pretty much anywhere you want to cut it in half is fine, it will grow more mouths regardless. I have tried the pizza method but it isn't that successful and tends to damage the ricordia more.

I wouldn't recommend just slicing the ricordia off of the rock in order to frag them, because it will take a long time for the tissue that is left on the rock to grow into a new ricordia. This is not a good way to frag them if you really want your ricordia to grow and split several times. Using the simple cutting method I have created 5-6 polyps from 1 polyp in 2-3 months.

The ricordia need to be attached to aragonite or some type of substrate before gluing them onto another rock/frag plug. Like most softies, you cannot just apply super glue onto them directly.
I usually cut mine and toss them into a tank with course aragonite for a week or two, then I glue them to tiles. This is the best method to use with zoo fragging as well, I hardly lose any frags doing it this way.

There you go, late night trade secrets. Shhh!! ;p


And for all you crazy goofballs out there, please don't dip corals in freshwater to get rid of pests. Unless you love white corals, then by all means go for it.

 

i cut my ricordea at the base and tried to leave as much of the stalk as i could and put the shroom head on some rubble in a low flow area and in three days it took hold of a rock. the pic is 1 week after fragging

 

They're pretty resilient. I pulled off a St. Thomas bubble mushroom I had and it tore, and left a piece behind. What was left behind is turning into a new st. thomas bubble.