YBeNormal February 24, 2008 Share February 24, 2008 I received this Sarcophyton with some LR I purchased from a departing WAMAS member a year or so ago. I has since grown to about 14" across and takes up a large portion of my 75G tank I thought about selling it or giving it away but I like the way it looks in the tank. Besides, how many chances will I have to frag a 14" Toadstool leather? The first step was to prepare the fragging area. I did a 13 gallon water change on my system, adding 9 gallons to a 10 gallon frag tank and leaving 4 gallons in a bucket to rinse the main body of the coral after fragging was complete. I used a large lid from a storage container as the fragging station, figuring it would catch all of the water and help avoid a large mess in my tank room. Here are pics of the coral out of water. Several inches of the coral are folded down the sides of the rock but the tape measure will give you an idea of how large this coral is (was). I used two fresh razor blades to cut a ring around the top of the coral. If you've never cut a toadstool you'd be surprised to learn just how tough these things are. Here is a pic of the main body after the trim: And here are the frags. Each one sits on a rock or shell and is loosely wrapped with a nylon mesh to hold it in place. I'm running carbon on the main and frag tank for the next couple of weeks and I plan on a few extra water changes. Other than that I guess I wait and see if everything lives. P.S. The container lid was not deep enough to hold all of the water and I did make a mess after all. Next time I use a deeper lid. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Highland Reefer February 24, 2008 Share February 24, 2008 Did you have to detach it before getting out of your display tank? If so, what method did you use? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YBeNormal February 24, 2008 Author Share February 24, 2008 No, I lifted it with the rock it was attached to. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boxxr February 24, 2008 Share February 24, 2008 YBNormal, Thanks for this post; I need to do the same thing. Mine is just a tad smaller, but I was unsure how to cut it down. So what were the sizes of the frags? 2 x 2 or so? Or smaller. I will wait to see how your frags do. My problem is I don't have an area to propagate my frags. -Karl Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flowerseller February 24, 2008 Share February 24, 2008 Very neat ybe. I use a floral netting to do the same thing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YBeNormal February 24, 2008 Author Share February 24, 2008 Karl, Most sites recommend trimming a ring of ~1" at a time. Let that heal then do it again if necessary. Sounds easy... My frag strip ended up being from 3/4" wide to about 2" wide. I then cut the strip into sections that were slightly rectangular. Chip, I wished I had some of your floral netting when I started this. I did a quick run to the store and picked up a yard of the nylon mesh for $.53. I think it will work fine for this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bk_market February 24, 2008 Share February 24, 2008 mine toadstool frag itself once in a while. It just tear up on the ring and drop it :D It actually doing it right now I will take a pic later. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HowardofNOVA February 25, 2008 Share February 25, 2008 In about a month the polyps will appear where you cut them and it about 2 months, you won't even know you cut it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveS February 25, 2008 Share February 25, 2008 What did you mount the frags to? Do I see the remnants of a clam bake?! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YBeNormal February 25, 2008 Author Share February 25, 2008 I like to mount coral frags to LR rubble, pieces of old coral and even clam shells. It's cheaper than frag disks or plugs and I think it looks more natural when it is added to the tank. All of the mounts in the picture are from a box of LR and shell that a neighbor picked up on the beach in South Carolina a couple of years ago. She proudly brought the box of goodies home then realized she had no need for it and gave it to me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
treesprite February 25, 2008 Share February 25, 2008 I think the leather coral frag at my office is toadstool... I got it from the fragfest as a freebie and it's twice the size it was... grows fast. All I did was sit it next to a rock in the tank and the next day it was stuck fast to the rock on it's own, no netting or glue or anything. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YBeNormal February 25, 2008 Author Share February 25, 2008 Yeah, it's a very easy coral and looks very nice. I'll have several frags available once they are healed and attached. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flowerseller February 25, 2008 Share February 25, 2008 Chip, I wished I had some of your floral netting when I started this. I did a quick run to the store and picked up a yard of the nylon mesh for $.53. I think it will work fine for this. I'll save you some today because the stuff is stretchy when it needs to be. It's like a tube so you fit it over your bunched fingers, slip it over the frag and rock and release. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YBeNormal February 25, 2008 Author Share February 25, 2008 Thanks Chip. You gave me two pieces a few months ago and I used them to cover my Koralia 4's so I wouldn't have to worry about coming home to anemone puree. The netting eventually wore out and had to be tossed though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flowerseller February 25, 2008 Share February 25, 2008 Thanks Chip. You gave me two pieces a few months ago and I used them to cover my Koralia 4's so I wouldn't have to worry about coming home to anemone puree. The netting eventually wore out and had to be tossed though. Then for that you want the orange netting for bird of paradise that I use for overflows. The other stuff like I gave you earlier is great for softies because holds it tight enough to attach but it expands as they inflate with water so it doesn't pinch it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lanman February 28, 2008 Share February 28, 2008 Then for that you want the orange netting for bird of paradise that I use for overflows. The other stuff like I gave you earlier is great for softies because holds it tight enough to attach but it expands as they inflate with water so it doesn't pinch it. Sounds good for mushrooms, ricordia, etc. I'll have to keep the pieces from the bouquets I buy! I've been using bridal-veil netting. No stretchy-stretchy. bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newfish February 28, 2008 Share February 28, 2008 Yeah, it's a very easy coral and looks very nice. I'll have several frags available once they are healed and attached. If they are easy, I would like a Frag when they become available. Just a small piece. Just let me know when and how much Thanks Josh Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lanman February 29, 2008 Share February 29, 2008 If they are easy, I would like a Frag when they become available. Just a small piece. Just let me know when and how much Thanks Josh They are softies - fairly easy. bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newfish February 29, 2008 Share February 29, 2008 They are softies - fairly easy. bob Then I would definitley love a piece when he has some available, the picture that he has looks really cool. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lanman March 4, 2008 Share March 4, 2008 Then I would definitley love a piece when he has some available, the picture that he has looks really cool. Yeah - they grow out really nice... until some fool comes along and cuts them to pieces. bob Here is my ORA Green version... also in need of some fragging soon: bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YBeNormal March 4, 2008 Author Share March 4, 2008 If they are easy, I would like a Frag when they become available. Just a small piece. Just let me know when and how much Thanks Josh No problem. I'll reserve a piece for you. Cost? Make a promise to yourself to help out another newbie in the future and we'll call it even. The parent and frags are healing nicely and frags are ready for picking any time you are in the area. They may not be attached to the shells and LR pieces but that can happen in your tank as well as it would in mine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jason the filter freak March 5, 2008 Share March 5, 2008 That green leather is sweet lookin! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jnguyen4007 March 5, 2008 Share March 5, 2008 It looks good, dude. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newfish March 17, 2008 Share March 17, 2008 Just wanted to post some pics of the Toadstool Frag that I got from YBe. Here it is when I first put it in my tank as it started to open. And Here it is now Fully open and already growing. Thanks Again Bob, I just love this thing it is soo cool and seems to be doing great. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YBeNormal March 17, 2008 Author Share March 17, 2008 It does look very happy. Thanks for posting the update! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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