To Frag or Not to Frag

[RobertG]

This is my Toadstool Leather. He is 5+ Years in my tank. He tends to frag himself. Is this normal? Would fraging him be a good thing or a bad thing. Looking for opinions.

Thanks

[Brett Wilson]

I'd do it :)

[Brett Wilson]

Those guys are very easy to frag. just cut off a piece of pretty much any size from any part of it (literally) and attach it to something with fishing line or whatever you prefer. Glueing these guys is less fun because they give off mucus, but it can be done as well.

[RobertG]

It is large & I dont know if that would take away from the beauty of this coral. A picture just will not show the mass of this guy.

[Brett Wilson]

Size is definately something to consider when fragging or not fragging soft corals. I feel the larger they are the better they look, even more so than stonies which often have the best color when they are small.

I'll give you my 'expert' opinion when I come and trade for that ricordia frag :)

[RobertG]

Cool I'll Appreciate that. Misti has a frag of this. It is one that it fraged itself.

Misti how is yours doing? Is it shaping itself out yet?

[DeletedAccount]

It is slowly starting to get a good shape. Finally shaped like a true toadstool. Looks great!

[dan]

i heard these guys can grow to be monsters.in the book 50 amazing tanks theres a leather that was like three feet around. now thats a monster!!!!!!!

[RobertG]

I would easily say this guy stretched across, is a foot. He is really crowded in the corner. I Just dont want him in the center because he blows all over. Currunt to much I think, for his liking.

[Tim Marvin]

I had one that was around 18 inches across when I sold it. I made hundreds of frags off it. Just start chopping. What I found worked best to keep it in good shape was to cut off a 2 inch ring all the way around the head. Cut the 2 inch ring into 2 one inch rings. Then cut up those rings at about every inch so you have 1inchX 1 inch pieces. Now you have about 100-150 frags!

[GaryP]

I have a toadstool that is about 18-24" across when stretched open. It takes up about 1/3 of the 75 gal. I have it in. I keep threatening to frag it but I need a place to grow out the frags. Anyone have a grow out tank or greenhouse that would like to collaborate on this project? I'd be willing to go 50/50 on any profits from the frags. Personally, I'd rather trade the frags for other frags.

Its going to be a major project to get it out of the tank because its attached to several large pieces of LR.

Gary

[Tim Marvin]

The problem is sell hundreds of frags..... I have grow out tanks, but is is currently filling with acropora. You can cut the leather in your tank and just do you water change right after. I've cut numerous frags in the tank and not even done a water change with no ill effects.

[Instar]

I could go in with you GaryP. I have a 100 gallon that would make a great growout tank. So long as we don't start growing flat worms in that 100 gallon ;)

[GaryP]

No problem Larry, we'll just breed velvet nudibranchs in the 100. That way we can do double duty in the same space.

Gary