Kenya Tree Removal

[TWYOUNG]

After adding a Solomon Hairy Leather,(seems very similar to a Kenya Tree), to my tank many months ago I'm faced with removing coral for the first time. I thought it great at first when it would bud off new growths as I was struggling to keep many corals alive. The first couple I would grab, glue to plugs and place strategically in the tank. I soon discovered they didn't need my help taking root. I've let them go as it's a large tank with still few corals but now I'm getting successful with more attractive species and am becoming concerned. There are probably 30 of these little,(and not so little), things in my tank. Can I suck them out with a water change? Is there a better way? Will they just regrow where I removed them from?

 

[VintageReefer]

This coral will reproduce like a plague
It will take over your tank in time, if not managed

Any that have attached to rock, you can peel off slowly. If it rips or breaks it will grow back. But most the time you can carefully pick at an edge and then peel it off from the base in one piece.

Any loose fresh buds flowing around, or on the sandbed, remove and throw out

 

[TWYOUNG]

This coral will reproduce like a plague
It will take over your tank in time, if not managed

Any that have attached to rock, you can peel off slowly. If it rips or breaks it will grow back. But most the time you can carefully pick at an edge and then peel it off from the base in one piece.

Any loose fresh buds flowing around, or on the sandbed, remove and throw out

Thanks. Sounds like a plan. I'd appreciate your input regarding my similar Waving Hand Anthelia post I just made.

 

[randomfishdude]

Thanks. Sounds like a plan. I'd appreciate your input regarding my similar Waving Hand Anthelia post I just made.

You can sell the frags for like 5$ each so you can make a bit of money.
I give them to my lfs for 10% credit.
Which adds up fast.

 

[TWYOUNG]

You can sell the frags for like 5$ each so you can make a bit of money.
I give them to my lfs for 10% credit.
Which adds up fast.

In order to do that I'll need to somehow get them off the rock and attached to a frag plug.

 

[randomfishdude]

In order to do that I'll need to somehow get them off the rock and attached to a frag plug.

Yes. But money is money 30 mins worth of effort to take out 10 little frags.
If you think about it that's like 100$ a hour.
50$ for more coral or whatnot.

 

[Court_Appointed_Hypeman]

You can sell the frags for like 5$ each so you can make a bit of money.
I give them to my lfs for 10% credit.
Which adds up fast.

I wish

I have tons of large kenya trees but its impossible to find anyone that wants them.

 

[randomfishdude]

I wish

I have tons of large kenya trees but its impossible to find anyone that wants them.

have you tried your lfs?

 

[Court_Appointed_Hypeman]

have you tried your lfs?

I have not,

I will ask them today, if they take them that would be wild. In a year I went from one 5 inch tall one to 30 even larger.

 

[TWYOUNG]

Yes. But money is money 30 mins worth of effort to take out 10 little frags.
If you think about it that's like 100$ a hour.
50$ for more coral or whatnot.

It's not the time that concerns me it's the technique. How do I remove it from the rock and attach it to a frag plug without damaging it?

 

[randomfishdude]

It's not the time that concerns me it's the technique. How do I remove it from the rock and attach it to a frag plug without damaging it?

I use a sharp exacto knife and go at the base between the rock and base.
Kinda to try to peel it up.

 

[VintageReefer]

You don’t need to attach to plugs. You could also use rubble

I wouldn’t cut them. When I had this issue on a prior tank I was able to peel them off. Like peeling off a sticker

 

[randomfishdude]

You don’t need to attach to plugs. You could also use rubble

I wouldn’t cut them. When I had this issue on a prior tank I was able to peel them off. Like peeling off a sticker

That's what I do. I'm just saying I use a knife to help.

 

[Reefkeepers Archive]

It's not the time that concerns me it's the technique. How do I remove it from the rock and attach it to a frag plug without damaging it?

Don't attach them to frag plugs, glue can cut off circulation and cause the base to die. I'd get a basket with small holes, fill it with rubble and keep it (in the tank) at the waters surface. Throw the pieces in there and within a few days they'll attach. Glue the rock to the plug

 

[TWYOUNG]

You don’t need to attach to plugs. You could also use rubble

I wouldn’t cut them. When I had this issue on a prior tank I was able to peel them off. Like peeling off a sticker

I just figured if they were worth anything to a lfs they'd need to be attached to plugs so they could sell them.

 

[TWYOUNG]

I am having a tree removed that is right where the phone lines come into my house. Can verizon mark the lines so the tree removal folks won't cut them when they grind the stump?

You are aware you're on reef2reef correct?

 

[randomfishdude]

You are aware you're on reef2reef correct?

Maybe it's a kenya tree that is growing in the yard? I have xenia growing out of my pool.

 

[braaap]

Best way to not have to worry about a soft coral takeover is to never have soft corals.

 

[TWYOUNG]

Best way to not have to worry about a soft coral takeover is to never have soft corals.

Not really helpful at this point. Perhaps better suited for FB than reef2reef.

 

[TWYOUNG]

I have a piece of rock that came with a tiny feather duster worm hitch hiker. very cool. there is a tree nearbye that has forked and now the fork is leaning awfully close to where the worm lives. I assume that at some point they will come in contact with each other and that the tree will irritate if not outright sting the worm keeping him from coming out. Can i cut the branch off the tree and attach it to another spot in the tank?

I don't "think" you can cut it and reattach but you likely could prune it back. Mine would pinch off branches on it's own which would then float off and reattach somewhere else in the tank. I ended up removing all of it and still have tiny ones popping up throughout my tank which I have to remove when they get big enough to get ahold of.