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View Full Version : Anthelia Propaqation


Goalie66
12/07/2002, 03:55 PM
I tried a search in the forums for this but what is the proper way
to frag an Anthelia? I would like to give some to some friends
and was looking for te proper method. Also how long after
should I wait to give it to them.

Thanks for any input!!!

Tom

GARFVolunteer
12/07/2002, 07:30 PM
Anthelia is usually like a weed. However it can be difficult to propagate. I know of two methods that work fairly well and a third that works well with xenia but I haven't had much luck with anthelia.

1. Use tweezers to pull polyps off the rock. Try to get the base with at least 2 to 3 polyps. Put the polyps in a low current area that has good lighting and fairly coarse substrate. The polyps will settle down and attach to substrate. Once attached they can be super glued where ever you want them. I turned my sump into a farming unit just for this purpose.

2. Use super glue gel to glue a small peice of rubble to the rock next to where the anthelia is growing. Then just wait for the anthelia to grow onto the rubble.

3. The not so good method: Use tweezers to pull polyps off the rock. Try to get the base with at least 2 to 3 polyps. Put the polyps on a peice of rubble and use bridal veil netting and super glue to hold it in place until it attaches.

Scott

Goalie66
12/08/2002, 12:30 PM
Thank you for the reply! I will be trying #1 later this week as
it sounds the best.

Tom

Alexis
12/08/2002, 01:45 PM
Find the edge of the colony and peel away at the extending base with polyps on it. It should peel away pretty easily. Then take a razor and cut that section off.

Superglue the piece to some rubble and you are done. TAking the polyps from the edge is best since you are taking it from the part of the colony that is actively growing and transplanting that.

kennerd
12/10/2002, 12:54 PM
I have peeled individual and small goups of polps off rock with tweezers. If you plan on propping this for trading, etc. take a small colony, or even a group of individual poylps an wedge them against the glass along the side of your tank. eventually, the anthelia will grow upwards on the glass and eventually sperate from the rock-based colony. at that point, they are EXTREMELY easy to razor off and frag.

Ken

bronny
12/30/2002, 05:23 PM
Hi
I have had great success propagating my anthelia simply by placing live rock next to the mother collony. If conditions are right the anthelia will grow on to the rock within a few weeks. The two can then be separated with a scalpel. This method is slower than the pruning type approach but it is far less traumatic to the mother collony as there is generally less handling of the collony.
hope this is of help.

Happy propagating.