Ric Experiment.

[madamo]

I have a ric with to mouths on one polyp. To assist the splitting process, I tied a piece of fishing line to the rubble it is attached to and suspended the polyp in the water. The idea is that gravity would accelerate the splitting process. Has anyone had any success with this method. I am nervous about taking an exacto knife to the polyp.


Thanks for any input.

[currentking]

just cut it in half. I have 100% success rate on cutting florida ricordea. I guarntee success.

[Travis L. Stevens]

Just because the mushroom has two mouths doesn't mean it is splitting. I had a Ricordea florida with 6 mouths total in three clusters. Eventually it split in to three pieces one had 3, one had 2, and one had 1 mouth. I also got a Ridordea florida in with 13 mouths, but it was for a friend. I think it went on the way side with a tank crash though.

[blide]

Originally posted by currentking
just cut it in half. I have 100% success rate on cutting florida ricordea. I guarntee success.

I agree just cut it... The fishing line just prolonging the process. Use a sharp razor and make a clean cut and you shouldn't have to worry about recovery.

[madamo]

Would I make a clean cut in between the two mouths?
What instrument should I use?
Should I do it outside of the water?
Could it get sick and die?
How do I care for it once the split has been made?
How long will it take to heal?

Just wanted to get this info before I went along with the surgery.

[Lance M.]

Just cut it like any other mushroom.

Get some tank water in a container and put the coral in there and then take it out of the water and make a clean cut with a sharp razor in between the two mouths then put it back into the container with the tank water. Shake it a little bit to get the brown stringy goo off of it to prevent possible infection then just place it back into the tank. It's that simple. Though sometimes if the two halves are close enough to each other after they are cut they will just heal back together (fun way to hybridize mushrooms).

[madamo]

Thanks.

However, I would like to get some additional experiences/techniques before I venture into this surgery.

[icy1155]

If you want to frag it, just go for it. I recently chopped up one of my pink yumas which are normally more tempremental by using a pair of sharp scissors and cutting it off the rock, then cutting the disc in 1/2 across the mouth since it only had one mouth. Right now, both of the halves have a full mouth and the bit left on the rock is now a few smaller ricordea. They heal fine as long as they are in a stable tank.

[Lance M.]

Yea It's not rocket science. Just cut it.

If you have some regular mushrooms you could practice on them if your scared.

[Caleb Kruse]

Hey you should use this method, you'll end up with 3 whole mushrooms in the end.

[Lance M.]

Cool article Caleb.

Just to go with that, IME it's best to use surgical sissors instead of regular ones and you need to make sure to rinse the freshly cut pieces off with tank water to get all the brown goo off.

[currentking]

take it out of the water, set it on a cutting board and cut it leaving one mouth on each part. Take it and throw it back in the water. They are hardier than a cockroach in a nuclear war

[madamo]

Thanks guys, just got back from Menards with the supplies. I will keep you posted. (By the way, the article was very helpful)

[bigScott]

hey travis if your refering to me an that ric its still kickin..an growin like mad..i only have 3 polyps but 14 mouths..an thats no BS..i just counted them..i cant wait till they cover the whole rock..it will be a nice show piece..

scott

[chillman]

show us some pics

[Caleb Kruse]

I'm glad you guys liked the article, I was just fragging so many rics that I decided to make a tutorial.

[cowbell]

I take mine out of the water cut them with sisors and place them in the bottom to heal up. I have cut them with no mouth before and they grow one within a week or so.

[armagedon48]

sometimes when i cut my ricordia, they heal and become one again. so i have to re-cut them till they split.

[kenwendyb]

Thanks for this thread!!!!!!!!!I just learned alot!!!!!!!!Nice article!!!!!I've got a few that where getting too big and was wondering what to do with them. Now I know. Thanks again.