Fragging Xenia

[Devan Patel]

Hello everyone so I have seen people use different methods for fragging Xenia and I would like to know which is best. I have seen someone use fishing like but if you tighten it too much you will suffocate it and another way was to use a thread and needle and put the needle in the stalk a little bit and glue the thread on the plug so it will therefor grow after. And same thing with the rubber band it may suffocate it. So I feel the thread is best but wasn’t sure if it was 100% okay to put in saltwater. I saw a video on YouTube about it and thought it would work perfectly. Let me know. Or should I replace the thread with fishing line?

 

[Seymo44]

My favorite way to get soft coral to attach to substrate is to put some small pieces of rubble in a small cup, submerge the cup in a low follow area, then lay the soft coral on top of the rubble. Works great for shrooms, zoas, leathers, etc. You could use something over the top that lets light in to make sure the xenia doesn’t flow away.

Once it attaches to a piece of rubble you can glue that rubble to a plug, disk, etc.

 

[areefer01]

As noted above - Xenia and rubble = instant frags.

 

[Devan Patel]

My favorite way to get soft coral to attach to substrate is to put some small pieces of rubble in a small cup, submerge the cup in a low follow area, then lay the soft coral on top of the rubble. Works great for shrooms, zoas, leathers, etc. You could use something over the top that lets light in to make sure the xenia doesn’t flow away.

Once it attaches to a piece of rubble you can glue that rubble to a plug, disk, etc.

I mean could I just use the needle and thread?

 

[Legendary Corals]

My favorite way to get soft coral to attach to substrate is to put some small pieces of rubble in a small cup, submerge the cup in a low follow area, then lay the soft coral on top of the rubble. Works great for shrooms, zoas, leathers, etc. You could use something over the top that lets light in to make sure the xenia doesn’t flow away.

Once it attaches to a piece of rubble you can glue that rubble to a plug, disk, etc.

Great advice, this is also my preferred way to grow and frag encrusting soft corals.

Do you have a photo of the Xenia that you are looking to frag? Is it already encrusting/ growing onto rockwork?

 

[MrGisonni]

You can use a small piece of rubble in a shot glass.

 

[Seymo44]

You could try the needle and thread method. Though it seems like more effort than what it’s worth. Xenia grows really fast so if it doesn’t work your not out anything.

I’m all for experimenting and finding new ways to do things. If I did it, I would stick to cotton thread since it will biodegrade. If the glue doesn’t hold, I wouldn’t want a small piece of fishing line floating around in the tank and possibly get eaten by a fish.

I will say that I’ve tried the rubber band method and it’s a real pain in the butt.

 

[OrionN]

I use a toothpick skewed the Xenia or soft coral midway up the stem and loop a small rubber band around and attach the toothpick to a concave piece of rock. I like to use oyster shells the best. This is really easy and only take a few seconds. In the pictures below, the Xenia or any soft coral was skewed and is at the middle of the toothpick. Once it attaches to the shell in a few days I remove the rubber band and toothpick.
This method is quick and easy, and I never ever lose a frag due to detachment. I can have as big or as little of a frag I want, no problem.

 

[twentyleagues]

I used to put other rocks near the xenia and once it spread on to the smaller rocks I just cut the mat, and you have frags.

 

[Sleeping Giant]

I used elastic bands to hold it in place and remove after they attach the rock

 

[Devan Patel]

You could try the needle and thread method. Though it seems like more effort than what it’s worth. Xenia grows really fast so if it doesn’t work your not out anything.

I’m all for experimenting and finding new ways to do things. If I did it, I would stick to cotton thread since it will biodegrade. If the glue doesn’t hold, I wouldn’t want a small piece of fishing line floating around in the tank and possibly get eaten by a fish.

I will say that I’ve tried the rubber band method and it’s a real pain in the butt.

but the thread will dissolve in the water right? Cause that’ll be good for me

 

[twentyleagues]

but the thread will dissolve in the water right? Cause that’ll be good for me

only if its cotton, and it takes quite a long time too.

 

[Devan Patel]

only if its cotton, and it takes quite a long time too.

Honestly not worried about the time, but will the cotton harm the tank when it dissolves or no? Just need to make sure

 

[twentyleagues]

Hasn't been show to. I have used it in the past to tie moss to drift wood and rocks in fresh water and tried using it to tie softies to rocks. Never tried the needle through the softie but tying it doesn't work great.

 

[Devan Patel]

Hasn't been show to. I have used it in the past to tie moss to drift wood and rocks in fresh water and tried using it to tie softies to rocks. Never tried the needle through the softie but tying it doesn't work great.

I’m gonna try pushing it through the Xenia. And maybe I’ll cut two different frag and stick one in a cup. Do you use plastic or glass cup? Cause I don’t have plastic

 

[blaxsun]

Next up: How to remove xenia from your tank...

 

[twentyleagues]

I’m gonna try pushing it through the Xenia. And maybe I’ll cut two different frag and stick one in a cup. Do you use plastic or glass cup? Cause I don’t have plastic

glass will be fine. I've used shot glasses and really small pyrex containers. Best way i found with xenia was to place the xenia frag in a pile of rubble and once it grows on to the rubble cut them away and you have more xenia frags. I like xenia but cant find any currently locally.

 

[Devan Patel]

glass will be fine. I've used shot glasses and really small pyrex containers. Best way i found with xenia was to place the xenia frag in a pile of rubble and once it grows on to the rubble cut them away and you have more xenia frags. I like xenia but cant find any currently locally.

Yeah I cut 3 pieces today and messed up on two, so I put one in a shot glass and 2 with thread but they didn’t work out so well haha so it is what it is they’ll grow back

 

[Seymo44]

but the thread will dissolve in the water right? Cause that’ll be good for me

Correct.