I have a capnella coral which I want to frag...I have read a few posts on the subject but wasnt clear to understand.....some steps were missing. Could anyone give me a detailed instruction on how I could do this? I kinda understand a bit but have no idea on how or where to start the cuttings. And what equipment would I need. I only have one coral so I really dont want to make any mistakes. Oh yeah, I have a mushroom too, how can I induce it to split? Thank you guys
Fragging 101
- Thread starter Master Er
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A
Anonymous
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capnella is very easy to frag as a matter of fact it is a PLAUGE in my tank. I quit fragging mine years ago cause it is so prolific on its own. Capnella will drop branchlets off it is healthy and growing. They form kind of a knuckle and after a day or two the branchlet falls off. If you want to force the issue, all you need is a sharp clean sissors to make the cut. Cut at least a 2-3 inch branch - no worries if your tank is healthy it will recovery in very short order. Then drop the branchlet into a container (wine glass for one frag tupperwear for lots) with a small piece of rock and it will attach itself in less then a week. Mushrooms can be forced to split by making an insision with a sissors or razor from the mouth to the edge. But again a healthy colony will split often enough on its own. I posted some pics in an earlier thread on this topic but could repost them if you don't find that thread.
John, I saw that thread but it was a bit vague to understand or at least for me it was...apologies though. When you say "drop branchlets", does it literally mean that it drops "off" of the main stalk? If I do put the cut specimen in a wine glass or something similar, wouldnt it need some water circulation of some sort? You mean to say that the cut specimen will find the rock itself and attach automatically without my intervention? Cool!!! I may try that. Dr. Frankenstein!!! I only have one mushroom, I dont even know what type it is....maroon with a rough looking texture and some green on the edges...how could I make it split on its own without cutting it? Is there any other way? So far I think my tank is very healthy since there have been numerous growths of creatures which I have never seen before and my water parameters are close to perfect....nitrates (15) is the only factor that has to be dealt with but it is quite low. I will try experimenting with the capnella. Thanks for the info...oh yeah, can that be done to zoanthids, I mean uprooting them and replanting them on a different rock? (I'm new at this, I dont know a thing about corals) Thanks again.
A
Anonymous
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no prob, yea the branchlets will fall right off. I have as many as 10 of these branchlets drop some weeks and then they roll around on the sand till I reach in there and throw them in a tupperware that I keep in my tank. The idea of the container is to protect them from the current untill they attach. My tupperware has 5 - 10 small pieces of rock and a little sand on the bottom and I let them attach to whatever they want. With one frag - break the rock the same size as the container bottom and throw the frag on top and hopefully it attaches to the rock not the glass 
as far as the shroom just give it time - shrooms are very prolific. I use to cut them all the time but now just cut the ones that grow where I don't want them or are stinging something.
poylps the same thing - you could literally pull/razor a group off - throw it in a shotglass with a piece of rock and it will attach. But a better way is to put the zoas where you want them - let them grow and spread unto the rock and then move the colony to another place.
One comment though I love fragging it is an important part of our hobby- but if your tank is a display tank you may not want to actively frag it yet - the beauty of a tank really comes out as natural growth and spreading occures and the "holes" fill in. I have to frag because my tank is so old (I've had my oldest shroom colony for about 14 years and my capnella stand is about 8 - 10 years old) that if I don't I would have corals interacting with others and that is always bad for one or the other. But if you decide you want to experiment - no worries - its real easy in a healthy tank and I have never lost a coral I fragged. Watch for the pics of my big tank in the not nano section - I've been wanting to post some but just haven't gotten around to it yet. I think you'll love what a capnella stand looks like with natural growth and spreading.
as far as the shroom just give it time - shrooms are very prolific. I use to cut them all the time but now just cut the ones that grow where I don't want them or are stinging something.
poylps the same thing - you could literally pull/razor a group off - throw it in a shotglass with a piece of rock and it will attach. But a better way is to put the zoas where you want them - let them grow and spread unto the rock and then move the colony to another place.
One comment though I love fragging it is an important part of our hobby- but if your tank is a display tank you may not want to actively frag it yet - the beauty of a tank really comes out as natural growth and spreading occures and the "holes" fill in. I have to frag because my tank is so old (I've had my oldest shroom colony for about 14 years and my capnella stand is about 8 - 10 years old) that if I don't I would have corals interacting with others and that is always bad for one or the other. But if you decide you want to experiment - no worries - its real easy in a healthy tank and I have never lost a coral I fragged. Watch for the pics of my big tank in the not nano section - I've been wanting to post some but just haven't gotten around to it yet. I think you'll love what a capnella stand looks like with natural growth and spreading.
Wow!!! That long....thats a long time. I would love to see your tank and capnella stand. You've been very helpful and I appreciate it very much....makes me want to start operating on my livestock, you know, just to get the feel of this hobby instead of just buying them from the LFS. Though if you say that the capnella branches just fall off, I could probably wait for that to happen. I've had mine for 3 weeks now, its about 4-5" from the base to the top and seems to be quite healthy, infact looks better than the day I bought it. I also noticed that my shroom has 2 attachemnts or suctions on the rock its on....does that mean its going to split or do they really have 2 suckers underneath? And would you know what type it is...maroon, rough surface, with green tips around its perimeter. As for zoas, I rarely see any in my LFS, they sell so fast that it makes me want to live next to their tanks so I'd be able to purchase at least one frag the moment their shipments come in.Lol!!! Thanks alot.