How do you frag leather coral?

[aznlmpulse]

I have a leather coral that's growing too quick, and wondering how I would go about "Fragging" it.

[TippyToeX]

I really like the doughnut technique for leather coral described in this article Coral Fragmentation: Not Just for Beginners

Or you can just take the leather out of the tank. With a very very sharp pair of scissors cut away the parts you want removed. That the pieces you cut away and rubberband them to some liverock rubble. Be sure to put the mother leather back in it's original placement. The frags should be at the same light level or lower. Never higher.

Also try not to worry about it being out of the water for that long. If you are concerned you can get a spray bottle full of tank water and mist the mother and frags. Or have a bucket of tank water to drop the frags into.

HTH

[aznlmpulse]

rubber bands are ok in the tank? wouldn't that sqoosh the frag?

[TippyToeX]

They are ok for the time it takes for a frag to attach. No sqooshing, more of a firm hold.

If you don't feel comfy doing that let me suggest my favorite method of attaching soft coral. Get a needle and some thread and stitch the frag into place. Cut the line and pull it out after the frag has attached. I like to use fishing line for this. Pulls out very well once the frag is secure.

[aznlmpulse]

Thanks alot~

[MiddletonMark]

Only thing I could add to the great advice given above ....

Razor blades are my preferred tool. Unless your scissors are really sharp [mine are not, anymore] ... I had lots of coral squishing going on, so went with razor blades. Both work well, but options can be good. Time to time you can only use one or the other tool due to space/etc limitations - so knowing options at least is good.

And I too prefer to frag outside of the tank. Often I will water-change, keep the old water + hold corals for fragging, new frags, etc in that water. That way they leave most of their slime in the water I discard instead of in the tank, plus can work over my table, with everything spread out nice.

Good luck with it ... leathers are a great coral to start fragging with, and I think we're all glad to have one more coral propagator joining us

[randy8876]

Did you "frag" it? If you end up with some spare I'll gladly take some off your hands. My blue sponge is doing well, but I'm not sure about the orange stuff- it doesn't look like it's growing, but it's not looking dead either.

[ReeferAl]

I have found that with some leathers the rubber band will "squish" them long before thay attach and they end up cutting in 2 and drifting free. I have solved that by using small (or large, depending on the frag size) shells to attach the frag to. I pick a shell that the cut end of the leather will fit into a bit. I don't really push it in. The stem just lies over the open edge ot the shell. The rubber band goes around and gently holds the frag in place. The shell edge keeps it from digging into the frag tissue. Is that clear? I have found that to work well on leathers that are slower to attach or fust touchier.
Allen

[aquaman67]

I used zip ties. (also called cable ties)

You can adjust them until there is slight pressure and no squishing. The cable ties don't contract like a rubber band.

Here's GARF's guide. They use wedding veil mesh.

http://www.garf.org/MPegs/SarcoPropagation.html

[aquaman67]

I cut mine in my tank.

Here's before



Here's the head in a salt bucket



Here's the stump after



And here's a few days ago...the head grew back



Here's the frags in a Nano Cube

[Frick-n-Frags]

Mark makes a good point about the scissors :If they aren't sharp, use a blade.

I got a pair of harcutting scissors which are small and REALLY sharp. They are sooo much easier to manipulate than a razor blade.

I also recommend taking out the Sarcophyton (Wait! we don't even know what kind of leather you have) leather for fragging. They spew copious amounts of spewage when you cut them. Definitely take Lobophytums out of the tank too, as both Lobos and Sarcos are on EB's list of toxic chemical producers.

Also, holding the leather comfortably on a counter, etc makes it easier and more precise to make the cuts. I do mine over a container of water and let the pieces fall in. Then when I'm all done with cutting and mounting, I give everything a final slosh and put it back in the main system. I always throw out the nasty fragwater.

I actually like fragging my branching Sinularias in the tank, but I get them while they are totally expanded, sneak up on them with the scissors, and WHACK! branch is gone and the rest of the leather doesn't even know it was hit because it is so quick.

Branching Sinularias are slimy snotballs to try and handle and they get really contracted when PO'd. The more substantial leathers like Sarcos and Lobos are actually easier to work with when they are PO'd so they are perfect to be removed and worked on.

So what kind of leather is it anyway???????

here are some baby Sinularias (or Neptheas whatever)

[aznlmpulse]

I tried to identify it, but haven't seen anything close...I've seen pictures on this forum of the same leather, but it was labled "unidentified" also.

[TippyToeX]

Any chance you could post a picture of it? Or a link to one that looked similar?

[aznlmpulse]

this is how is looks like when it's contracted.

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/...0/f8a16523.jpg

[aznlmpulse]

this is what it looks like when it's...."expanded"

http://aznlmpulse.mypicgallery.com/t...goby_large.jpg

[aznlmpulse]

woops...here's "contracted" again....

http://aznlmpulse.mypicgallery.com/t...0002_large.jpg

[alprazo]

Has anyone tried the toothpick method. It has worked for me several times. I stick a toothpick right in the frag and glue the other end to the rock I want. I've never had a problem and it holds much better than the rubberband.

[cheeto]

I have a leather that looks exactly like that, only mine is yellow. Wish I knew what kind it was also.

[Frick-n-Frags]

Ah yes, the ole' generic "finger leather" Probably a Sinularia species.

azn, in pic#3, that leftmost branch is just screaming to be lopped off

if you can, pull the coral out to cut it. That one looks like it has some substance to it so it should cut OK with SHARP scissors or a razor blade.

[Fuegofish777]

ya i've used the toothpick method too. one time i even did a little cosmetic surgery on one of mine. the stalk was not facing the right angle for the only way it could fit in the rocks. so i bent it slightly and stuck a toothpick in it like a brace. now its alot better...

[Flipturn88]

I can't get my colt coral frags to stay put after cut. I've tried everything from toothpicks, to rubble, to rubberband, etc.

[alprazo]

For the colt, take two clam shells, put the colt in them and rubberband the two together. Kind of like a sandwich. I through some crushed coral in there as well for some weight. Make the rubberband just tight enough to hold it in place, otherwise you will cut off the bottom in a week or two.

Goodluck

[Flipturn88]

thanks for the tip...I will give it a try.

[hottuna]

i second - midlletonmark.....RAZOR BLADES

[alprazo]

I use dog nail cutters to frag almost anything from acros to finger leathers and gorgonia. I use a razor blade form the real soft corals and a dremel tool for the LPS