How to remove/move soft coral

[fishforlife]

I have a Taylor Tree coral that is on a large rock. Next to it are 3 pulsing Xenias. The xenias are moving toward the tree coral and i do not like the way it looks and am affraid they will hurt the tree coral. Plus I do not like the way it looks.

How can I remove the xenias from the rock so that I can place them in another location?

[coraline79]

Honestly, just pulling the xenia off, or use a razor to detach it works just fine. I usually just pull it off and rubber band it somewhere else.

[Mr Cob]

The dificult way:

To remove the xenias from the rock and place them in another place you will have to cut them at the base with a sharp razor blade or medical scissors and then scrape the rock to remove any trace of them. The pieces you cut should be lightly rubberbanded to a new piece of rock/rubble for a week or so until they heal and attach themselves.

The easy way:

Just move the rock they are on.

[Gseclipse02]

pull from the bottom they should come right up if not use a blade and cut the bottom off

[Gseclipse02]

dang all 3 of us at once lol

[Mr Cob]

dang all 3 of us at once lol


LOL!:applause:

[jroescher]

Both the tree coral and xenia can be scraped off using your fingernail. It won't hurt it. Any residue left probably will grow new again. Like everyone else said, rubberband it loosly to something and it will attach. Don't bother trying to glue, it won't work.

[Mr_Cool]

I'd run a toothpick through the coral(s) you decide to move. Then, rubber-band the ends of the toothpick to some new rock. The coral will attach to the rock, and when it does, just slide the toothpick out.

[fishforlife]

Okay...I took the plunge and started pulling. I grabbed the Xenia as clost to the base and i could and began to lightly pull...Like trying to pull tape of of a pice of paper. Anyway it tio a bit more force than I was expecting, but the it just lossened and POP....it started pulling off. I have three more on the rock that i wnt to move because of my purple tree coral. It is fairly large and I want it all by itsslefon the large rock. Anyway, if the xenia I puled off lives, I will remove the other thre with this methed.

My next objective is to creat some frags from some brown button polyps and my evergreen stars...Geeze those this grow lke weeds. If I do not do something about it, my whole tank will be green.

[ErikH]

I think it would have been ten times easier to just move the kenya tree coral! Xenia is like a weed, make an island for it and make sure it doesn't spread. Unless you're let's say.... GMFett! :) He had a HUGEEEE rock in his 600 covered in pom pom and it was very cool.

[ErikH]

Oh yeah, there is a TONNNNNNN of information on this site.

www.garf.org (http://www.garf.org)

also check out www.melevsreef.com

[fishforlife]

Thanks for all the tips...It is a bit unsettling for a newbie (ME) to move their first coral...I have read lots of stuff matter of fact REEF hobyist has a cool article on removing Xanthid (sp?)...just weir doing your first I guess. If the one I just moved lives...then I will feel more comfortable with the rest...
you know I may have a large rock dedicated to the xenias...that sounds cool..

[ErikH]

It's simple, you just gotta try it a couple of times.