fraging a mushroom

[Bababou]

i have a very large mushroom in my tank that i want to split but it is growing from inside of the rock. When it is extended and open its about 6 inches across is there a safe and efective way i could divide this guy.
Rob

[moonpower]

When he is out and eztended chop his head off, you can leave his base it will grow another mushroom. When you cut it off have something to catch it with, it is going to be slippery and slimmy. lay it on a damp papertowel (I like face up) take a pair of sharp scrissors and cut him (on the papertowel) right down the middle. Try to get some mouth on each part as they will heal faster that way. Then I take netting and put them on a rock wrap them with the net and rubberband it so they can't get off. Let set for a week or two and take the net off. If they have stuck fine, if not rewrap.
If you have any questions just pm me.

[Bababou]

ok thank you for the advice.
Rob

[moggyhill]

just watch out because he could slime your tank out.

[kass03]

You can also put them in a bowl of rubble in your tank after you cut them.
I find this easier than netting and usually works good.
Once they attach to a small rock you can glue them anywhere you want.
You want them in something so the flow doesnt blow them away.

kass

[FishFreak20]

So you can literally cut them in half and have two shrooms instead of one?

[moggyhill]

yes it works great usually

[owensj]

thank you guys/gals so much for the advice...i just bought my first shroom and soon i will want them to spread...

[wiley0717]

So you cut his head off.. then cut the head in half??? That makes three? Also, I've got one that has two small heads growing out of his stalk, do I cut his head off and leave thoes or cut thoes as well?

[iLLisMiKe]

i cut up my shroom for the first time a couple days ago, and it went great. i took the shroom out the water, cut the head off, then cut it in half getting the mouth on each piece, then i put it in my "attaching cup". the "attaching cup was given to me by marlooney on the board, and it works pretty damn good. its basically a small soda bottle that come out of the vending machines filled with chunky substrate. they attached to the substrate in about a day and a half, but waited an extra day and glued them to a piece of live rock.

[FishFreak20]

yea, they attach quick

[iLLisMiKe]

i was kind of scared at first to cut up the shroom. but after my first propogation procedure, im sure there will be plenty more, only shrooms for the time being. i have some blues and blue stripes that i would like to have more of.

[wiley0717]

Hmm, shakey knees but I think I'll try that. On the attachment cup, it's just an open topped cup with rubble in it or is there something put on top to keep them from blowing away?

[iLLisMiKe]

oh i forgot to mention, its not the whole soda bottle. mine is only about 2 and a half inches tall of the bottome end of the soda bottle. and its only filled with an inch of chunky substrate. i didnt use anything to cover, just let it open top and didnt have a problem with the shrooms floating out.

[iLLisMiKe]

oh and i also forgot to mention, and with pencil holes above the substrate level for flow

[sandiegan]

As for cutting them, I've basically cut them every which way, mouth or no mouth. As long as you can still see the piece, it will eventually grow out. Shrooms are awesome to frag :-)

[Bobalouy]

I have not attempted to frag yet, but I was wondering if you cut them across the mouth where do the guts go?