Randy Holmes-Farley
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My Tank Thread
My project yesterday was to cut the stalk off my huge toadstool.
I got it many years ago from a fellow reefer as a tiny nub. It grew into a huge beast more than 18" across the top and 2 feet tall.
As it overshadowed my blue gigantea anemone, I decided it had to get cut back. Since my wife said all on her own that it was too big, I was spurred to action.
I did this once before on this coral and it was fine, so I wasn't too worried.
I first removed it from the tank. That was no easy deal without risking rock movements that might crush hiding fish. I got about 90% of it out as one piece, then tried to get more of the base out that was most firmly attached to the rocks and aquarium side and bottom. That was only partially successful, and some remains there.
Then I took the toadstool to my basement fish room, and began operating. I took a razor blade and sliced through the stalk. It took many cuts since it is quite tough. It was all squinched up, but the stalk was still about 4-5" thick. I sliced off more than a foot of the stalk, leaving a few inches attached to the head.
Then I brought it back to the tank, placed it with the stalk nub protruding down between rocks where the original was, and left it.
This morning, somewhat to my surprise, the polyps are extending and the coral is expanding quite a bit. So it seems have have been a success, at least so far.
I got it many years ago from a fellow reefer as a tiny nub. It grew into a huge beast more than 18" across the top and 2 feet tall.
As it overshadowed my blue gigantea anemone, I decided it had to get cut back. Since my wife said all on her own that it was too big, I was spurred to action.
I did this once before on this coral and it was fine, so I wasn't too worried.
I first removed it from the tank. That was no easy deal without risking rock movements that might crush hiding fish. I got about 90% of it out as one piece, then tried to get more of the base out that was most firmly attached to the rocks and aquarium side and bottom. That was only partially successful, and some remains there.
Then I took the toadstool to my basement fish room, and began operating. I took a razor blade and sliced through the stalk. It took many cuts since it is quite tough. It was all squinched up, but the stalk was still about 4-5" thick. I sliced off more than a foot of the stalk, leaving a few inches attached to the head.
Then I brought it back to the tank, placed it with the stalk nub protruding down between rocks where the original was, and left it.
This morning, somewhat to my surprise, the polyps are extending and the coral is expanding quite a bit. So it seems have have been a success, at least so far.
