how to frag a spagetti leather

[trinidiver]

I have one that is about 12" fully expanded and the stalk is over 3" dia. Anyone ever frag it successfully and how do yo really do it. When i purchased it about7mths ago, it was'nt even half the size. Should i leave it and grow it out, of frag it. I have heard though that sometimes the mother colony dies. Is there any truth to it?

[cloak]

Can you post a picture? I'm not too familiar with a "spaghetti leather," but most of those soft corals are pretty easy to frag. Check these out.

http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2002-06/ac/feature/index.php

http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2002-10/ac/feature/index.php

[trinidiver]

this is what it looks like.............................

[reefer999]

I think you would just cut a branch, and try to attach it a piece of live rock by either some mesh with a rubber band and keep it in low flow until it attaches or pierce it with a toothpick at the base and rubber band it to the rock, but I've never fragged one so I don't know if the mother colony dies when you frag it.

[NanoReefWanabe]

looks like a kenya tree almost...i would just lop a branch off...as long as the cut is clean it should heal up pretty quick...i would do it in the tank as fast as you can...the more you play with and irritate the coral the more stress it undergoes...

[Khemul]

One of the Sinularia corals.

I believe all of the Tree/Finger Corals are roughly the same though when it comes to fragging. Hell, most the Softies/Leathers in general are roughly the same when it comes to fragging. Lob off a branch/piece and let it recover. Not sure about recover time on Finger Leathers. With Kenya's it can be a week or two and once they recover they attach damned near instantly and start growing.

Just make sure it is a nice clean cut. Scissors work on smaller varieties but a razor blade would probably be better for anything bigger then a Kenya tree (which Finger Leathers usually are).