Is this softie too big?

[Jutta]

Need your help in deciding whether I should finally say good bye to my big soft coral. It is blocking the light quite a lot and I am constantly shifting other corals around which are struggling for light. I kinda like the coral though, I am a bit proud of the fact that it has grown a huge amount in the past 1.5 years.

Now:

Mar 2006

Nov 2005

 

[three-spot]

That's awesome! You might want to frag it a bit, but I see no reason to get rid of it.

 

[bureau13]

I agree...that thing looks awesome.

jds

 

[Jutta]

stupid question - how to frag? is it as simple as using a clean knife and kutting a brach off? like pruning a tree? It has attached itself to most of the surrounding rock, can I just cut it off?
Thanks!
Jutta

 

[boxfishpooalot]

Cut and glue I think. But i know nothin about fragging.

You should get new lighting. Maybee 2x 250 metal halides or 175s.

 

[eidillitih]

yea, I'd frag it down. Cut with a razor, rubber band or glue onto another rock.

 

[Frick-n-Frags]

more or less, yes.

I would use a razor blade or sharp scissors myself. when those get PO'd they get smaller and slimier then loosely rubberband the frags to pieces of rock or whatever and sell/swap them.

you may want to examine the main rock it is on.
I have fragged leathers by cutting them in slow motion with rubberbands straight down to the rock(vs sideways cut) like how lightening would split a tree.
you could also cut them down fast with a razorblade and do something to keep the pieces from re-attaching to each other for a few days
then breaking the rock which made for already attached frags when done. you can make bigger frags this way. also, you are sending the base with the frags. if you cut all the branches off a base, the "tree-stump" has a tougher time living the larger it is.

 

[King-Kong]

huge colonies are what make tanks look best, and natural. Dont ruin that!

If anything, just rearrange it your layout to better highlight that beautiful coral.

 

[Ritten]

Keep it!

 

[crabbejoe]

It's nice to see some big corals! Keep it.

 

[falconut]

I agree, if you like it keep it. It look like mine. I just cut mine with a pair of scissors when it gets too big. I don't think the glue will work to hold the frag because of the slime it produces, but the rubber works great for me.

 

[nano10]

Keep it!!! it looks to cool to get ride of.

 

[drummereef]

Looks good to me.

 

[pmartin727]

Frag and it

 

[Scuba Josh]

NO WAY!!! That thing is awsome. It is a centerpiece.

 

[reefchiquita]

Maybe frag a bit of it to make some money, but I think you should keep it if you can. It looks great, and probably makes you feel good knowing that you were babying that thing to get that big the last year!

 

[corals b 4 bills]

Keep it! like scuba josh said, It's the first and last thing you see when you look at the tank (that's a good thing) It must look cool swaying in the breeze.

 

[ERB82]

I've had great luck with cutting them with scissors and then sewing the frags onto peices of rock with fishing line.

 

[buzzer]

I agree, definately keep it.
How did you get it to grow so quickly in such a short period of time.

 

[andyco]

Frag it.

Increases flow.

Makes more room for fishies to swim.

Like a fire in the forest - lets the life underneath thrive...