Shortening a toadstool possible?

[Reefmack]

Hi. I have a toadstool that has over months grown on a long stalk. On more than one occasion the rock it's on has become displaced from its "permanent" mount on my LR, resulting in the toadstool having one of its droopy periods, and the stalk bends over. Recently it bent over and contacted my acan, which attacked the toadstool with a mass of numerous sweepers till I got home and separated the two.

My question - can I cut the toadstool stalk to shorten it, without killing it? If so can I then attach the top section to a small piece of rock and have it reattach? I was thinking of splitting the stalk a bit and rubberbanding each side of the split to a rock to give the head some balance.

If the above is possible, should I expect a new toadstool to grow from the bottom section still attached to its original base.

Thanks.

 

[ShannHell]

Yes, you can cut the top off and attach it and as long as it has decent flow, it should be just fine. Usually the bottom half/stalk just grows a new head. You don't need to split the stalk to attach it, you can just rubberband it to the rock and it will attach where it is touching the rock, but if you want to, go ahead and split it. Good luck!

 

[Reefmack]

Thanks. I've read some posts about fragging a toadstool by using superglue to attach a frag. Will this work as well or better than a rubberband? I'm guessing the cut stalk may be slippery like a mushroom and may not hold with superglue, but I don't really know. If superglue gel will work that would be even easier.

 

[gh0st]

Slicing off the top will work.

Sometimes Super Glue works for toadstools, etc sometimes not.

If it doesn't you can stitch the leather onto a rock with a needle and some fishing line, nylon string etc. As long as you thread through a bit up the stalk should work well. Snug plastic zip ties, or bridal netting are also good methods for reattachment.

 

[crispyreef]

I have had success with bridal netting and zip ties.

 

[Reefmack]

Thanks all. I think what I may do will be to cut the head off, leaving an inch or so of stalk underneath (head is about 4" across) and poke a toothpick through the portion of the stalk that I keep, and use an appropriate sized rubberband from one side to the under, under a large piece of rubble, to secure it it on the rock firmly but not too tight. Then I'll cut the remaining original stalk down to about 2" and see if I get new growth on that. Sound good?