Big toadstool fragging

[MugiwaraGrape]

Getting ready to frag this monster soon to split up amongst other tanks and was curious best coarse of action. My initial plan is to lay out a towel and place it on that with a spray bottle of water from the DT to spritz it a bit during the process and right after the cuts.

My cut plan is to go about two inches in from the lip and cut the entire circumference. Spritz again and return to display.

Then with the ring cut I would just separate that into fourths mount and return those to display until they adhere and are ready to move to new tanks.

Any suggestions or changes I should make. Picture doesn’t do it justice. This guy is massive and each quarter of the ring will be around 4-5”.

 

[i cant think]

Getting ready to frag this monster soon to split up amongst other tanks and was curious best coarse of action. My initial plan is to lay out a towel and place it on that with a spray bottle of water from the DT to spritz it a bit during the process and right after the cuts.

My cut plan is to go about two inches in from the lip and cut the entire circumference. Spritz again and return to display.

Then with the ring cut I would just separate that into fourths mount and return those to display until they adhere and are ready to move to new tanks.

Any suggestions or changes I should make. Picture doesn’t do it justice. This guy is massive and each quarter of the ring will be around 4-5”.

I wouldn’t cut it, I’d personally leave it. It’s gorgeous as it is. If you want to cut it then I’d cut some bits of the base instead of the crown.
And when fragging:
Cut the flesh in salt water, then return the beast to the display and run carbon for about a week.

 

[MugiwaraGrape]

I wouldn’t cut it, I’d personally leave it. It’s gorgeous as it is. If you want to cut it then I’d cut some bits of the base instead of the crown.
And when fragging:
Cut the flesh in salt water, then return the beast to the display and run carbon for about a week.

It is starting to shade other coral no matter where we put it in the tank so really we are trimming for space. Even where it is it’s hard to see but it is shading a huge rock of palys that are not too happy with it. It really is such an awesome coral though.

So just have a prepared tank of saltwater dunk it in there do the cuts and return? Also? How do you go about cutting from the base? I was using YouTube as a guide and most do cuts around the crown area so I’m unfamiliar with the base methods.

 

[Reefkeepers Archive]

As @i cant think said, I'd personally just leave it, but fragging leathers is pretty sraitfoward. Eventually it will start to frag itself, by breaking off parts of its crown, if you see any holes developing in the cup than that's what it's doing, though they produce excessive amounts of slime, so a container with some saltwater is recommended

 

[Reef By Steele Verified Sponsor]

It is starting to shade other coral no matter where we put it in the tank so really we are trimming for space. Even where it is it’s hard to see but it is shading a huge rock of palys that are not too happy with it. It really is such an awesome coral though.

So just have a prepared tank of saltwater dunk it in there do the cuts and return? Also? How do you go about cutting from the base? I was using YouTube as a guide and most do cuts around the crown area so I’m unfamiliar with the base methods.

I have read that cutting the circumference is one way to go. I believe in the U-tube video I watched that they recommended dipping it after to stave off any infection. As for cutting into fourths, I believe you could cut into 1” pieces and creat many more drags to share or sell.

I had one that was sold as a green but was actually the same as my large one. It got an infection and I believe I waited a little too long before I tried and none of my drags succeeded however I have two small toadstools who have started where I removed that one to Frag so taking from the bottom will work, just won’t accomplish your desire to make it smaller.

 

[magickmouser]

I don't have any advice, but he's a gorgeous specimen and I wish you all the best with fragging! I'm new to reefing and my pink/green toadstool is my favorite out of all my softies. I wanna collect them all and watch them get massive!

 

[MugiwaraGrape]

I have read that cutting the circumference is one way to go. I believe in the U-tube video I watched that they recommended dipping it after to stave off any infection. As for cutting into fourths, I believe you could cut into 1” pieces and creat many more drags to share or sell.

I had one that was sold as a green but was actually the same as my large one. It got an infection and I believe I waited a little too long before I tried and none of my drags succeeded however I have two small toadstools who have started where I removed that one to Frag so taking from the bottom will work, just won’t accomplish your desire to make it smaller.

These cuts will be for personal tanks only. Not looking to sell or any of that which is why we are keeping them large. Though there has been a ton of interest in buying frags. Haha I feel like any time a reefer sees it they mention buying if I ever frag.

 

[MugiwaraGrape]

As @i cant think said, I'd personally just leave it, but fragging leathers is pretty sraitfoward. Eventually it will start to frag itself, by breaking off parts of its crown, if you see any holes developing in the cup than that's what it's doing, though they produce excessive amounts of slime, so a container with some saltwater is recommended

I read that they could self frag like devils hand does, but this guy in the past 5 years has never done it. Just keeps getting huge and causing shade issues. Haha

 

[Reef By Steele Verified Sponsor]

I read that they could self frag like devils hand does, but this guy in the past 5 years has never done it. Just keeps getting huge and causing shade issues. Haha

I haven’t had a toadstool self Frag except the ones that started from a little tissue left when I removed that one to try to save it. Yes devils hand does drop parts. Toadstools might, but when I searched dragging them, nothing like that came up for the toadstool.

 

[afrokobe]

I read that they could self frag like devils hand does, but this guy in the past 5 years has never done it. Just keeps getting huge and causing shade issues. Haha

mine is actually in the process of self fragging. Its trying to pinch off a piece that looks like it has a foot. Ill grab a picture when the lights are on

 

[DanyL]

So, as someone that heavily frags a massive 35-45 cm Sarcophton *twice* a year - all I can say is go for it, and don’t let it over grow to the point where you wouldn’t be able to manage the amount of frags that you’ll end up having to accommodate.

As for the methodology - the cutting part is far easier than you think it is:
- Prepare a bath of Iodine for dipping.
- Grab a cutting board and a clean meat cutting knife.
- Place the leather “flat” on the cutting board and use the knife at a 45 degree angle facing the base and than cut it in one go.
- Do this 5-6 time to get a somewhat round shape.
- When done - cut each strip equally to get the same width/length.
- throw everything inside the the iodine bath, if the mother colony is too big - just put her back in tank - nothing wrong with it.
- Put new activated carbon in the tank/tanks.

Now for attaching leathers there many different approaches - I tried them all.
The best one so far is just to glue it inside a rampart sea shell - the shape of the shell kind of “hugs” the piece inside just enough to let it attach itself quickly.
I do not recommend using rubbers, poking holes and other similar methods - there is a chance to cause an infection doing so.

Here’s a pic of about 2/3 of the frags I did in a single fragging session (25 large frags total) - each of these is around 10 to 15 cm, 2 months after fragging.

Oh, and have fun!

 

[Dbichler]

I would cut the entire top off and let the Stalk grow a new head and cut the remaining top into 4 big sections that stay round as possible and make sure you center them on a rock and rubberband them just tight enough that they don’t move so that the new stalk grows from the middle or you’ll end up with a lopsided toadstool. The cut stalk should show polyps within 2 weeks and new stalks from cut pieces usually takes a month or so in my past experiences with toadstools. I’ve also never had toadstools frag themselves just get huge.

 

[afrokobe]

I forgot to take a picture when the lights were on, but here it is with a piece pinching