Colt Won't Attach

[manny]

I've had a colt for maybe two weeks or so and he hasn't attached to anything yet. I tried using a toothpick and rubberband but it didn't work. Have had the toothpick in there for nearly a week. Colt's barely hangin on now cause where the toothpick was, now there's just a big ol hole. Any suggestions on how to get this slimy guy attached?

[GaryP]

Manny,

Go to a fabric store and ask for some large mesh bridal veil material. Its also called Tule. Tear the material in a long strip, loop it around the base of the colt, then tie it around the rock that you want to attach it to. After a couple of weeks the coral will have attached to the rock and you can remove the bridal veil. There is a pretty decent video of this technique on the GARF website.

Gary

[GaryP]

P.S. I used this technique yesterday to attach a chili cactus coral to a rock so that the coral is hanging upside down in a cave I built in my rock work. It actually looks pretty cool and stretches out inside the cave.

Gary

[Andrew]

I usually make a small depression in the sand, say 1/2" and place the colt in it with one hand, and put several small rock rubble pieces around to hold in place (gently set against frag) with the other. It should bond itself within several days.

andrew

[manny]

i think i'll try the sand thing out today before i leave and go home for thanksgiving. colt came completely unattached today from toothpick and rubberband. was gonna try the mesh thing out gary but haven't been able to make it to the store this week. hopefully the sand trick will work

[manny]

sitting down at the bottom, will it have enough flow? i thought they needed a good amount of current hitting em?

[Andrew]

If the bottom has very little to no flow, I'd do what gary suggested.
As long as there is a slow (constant), movement though, it should be fine. It can be moved once attached.

andrew

[MikeP]

Colts are ultra slimy - two techniques I've used are:

1) Use a plastic toothpick to piece the stalk then rubber band the toothpick to a piece of liverock for a few weeks till it attaches.

2) Use a big needle and pull a piece of fishing line through the stalk or alternately you can use thread. Once it attached you can cut the thread/filament or just wait for it to fall off on it's own.

[GaryP]

I've read about the fishing line technique that Mike described but never used it. Its supposed to be real good for shrooms.

manny, if you want enough bridal veil to try on your colt, let me know. I have a bunch. It helps to be married to a seamstress, excuse me, I was just informed she is a "textile artist."

Gary

[GaryP]

P.S. I won't be home until Sat. afternoon.

[witecap4u]

You can get the veil at walmart for like $0.57 a yard. That is probably enough to last you forever, unless you are frag happy.....cs