Fragging Toadstool !!!

ritter6788 · Jan 22, 2016

Started with this Green Polyp Toadstool in the center of this pic.

FTS 1/26/14 by ritter6788, on Flickr

The glue isn't really necessary but a light spread of glue can help hold the coral still in a high flow area. The leather slimes though and glue alone won't help it attach much. The rubberband is the key here.

Untitled by ritter6788, on Flickr

Untitled by ritter6788, on Flickr

One day later. You'll want to check the rubberbands from time to time to make sure they aren't too loose or too tight. Just enough tension to keep the frag from moving but not so tight you cut the coral in pieces.

Untitled by ritter6788, on Flickr

10 days later most of the frags were attached and the rubberbands could be removed,

Untitled by ritter6788, on Flickr

Green Polyp Toadstool by ritter6788, on Flickr

redfishbluefish · Jan 22, 2016

Very nice write-up on fragging a leather. Have you noticed other corals being ticked off after putting the frags back in the tank. I'm convinced they exude something that is not liked by other corals, so I give mine a dip in a bucket of saltwater before going back into the tank. It seems to help.

Davesgt · Jan 22, 2016

This is a really nice how to. ill have to give this a shot

twilliard · Jan 22, 2016

Nice!!

Now you can send me a frag

ritter6788 · Jan 22, 2016

redfishbluefish said:
Very nice write-up on fragging a leather. Have you noticed other corals being ticked off after putting the frags back in the tank. I'm convinced they exude something that is not liked by other corals, so I give mine a dip in a bucket of saltwater before going back into the tank. It seems to help.

I have not seen any noticeable effects on any other corals but you're correct. Rinsing and running some carbon is a great idea to keep toxins down. I have noticed the Bubble tip anemones I have move away from the large toadstool and if I take it out of the tank the anemones move back to where the toadstool was. If I put the toadstool back in they move away again. They aren't actually touching or being shaded so there's definitely some kind of response to whatever the toadstool is giving off.

ritter6788 · Jan 22, 2016

most importantly...WEAR GLOVES, EYE AND MOUTH PROTECTION!!!! Those corals have a slime that's kinda nasty and doesn't taste very good.

LetItReef · Jan 22, 2016

Cool step by step. Thanks for sharing!

drstratton · Jan 27, 2016

Thank you for sharing this. I just bought a leather, it will be arriving tomorrow and I was wondering how to frag it if it gets to big! @twilliard when I frag mine I'll give you one!

2xal · Jan 27, 2016

The comments about it secreting something is interesting. Something I never thought of and I'm sure its part of a natural defense mechanism.

revhtree · Mar 24, 2016

Dude great thread!

262836292 · Mar 24, 2016

I see glue on the table but I don't see that you used it? Also, is the piece to the right of the frag rack the original one? If so how long did it take to recover like that? Thanks for sharing!!!

Wiz · Mar 24, 2016

Awesome man. As others have said this is a fantastic step by step. And I happen to have that exact same Toadstool and about the same size. LOL

brownsalt92 · Mar 24, 2016

Great read!!

ritter6788 · Mar 24, 2016

Rob Karsch said:
I see glue on the table but I don't see that you used it? Also, is the piece to the right of the frag rack the original one? If so how long did it take to recover like that? Thanks for sharing!!!

You can use a touch of glue to hold it in place for a short time but it's not necessary. Yes, the piece on the right is the same mother I fragged. Polyps came back out on it in a day and 2 or 3 weeks it didn't look like it had been fragged.

Pola0502ds · Mar 24, 2016

How long does it take the leather that you cut up to heal and return to a natural looking state? Instead of having all those straight like cuts? How long does it take for the frags you just made to form a "stem?

Reefster · Mar 24, 2016

Nice Green Toadstool...The Polyps look longer on yours than mine. Nice Buck in your Avatar...I guess even the bucks are bigger in TEXAS....What do you guys feed those Deer!

lewis.maryann08 · Mar 24, 2016

So pretty you can send one on down my way to lol

Scottsquatch · Mar 24, 2016

+1 on frags growing stems

ritter6788 · Mar 24, 2016

Pola0502ds said:
How long does it take the leather that you cut up to heal and return to a natural looking state? Instead of having all those straight like cuts? How long does it take for the frags you just made to form a "stem?

I didn't take much notice until you asked but I just checked and they all have stems. I posted this thread end of January and fragged a couple weeks before. They aren't much larger around but they are growing that toadstool shape. They are being blasted with a good bit of light in the frag tank which makes them shorter. You can put toadstools in lower light and they will stretch and be longer. These may be taller in lower light but it's an sps frag tank so it's on full blast on all my corals.