Softie Fragging 101

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11824167#post11824167 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Kkubiak
How would you cut a toad stool. At the neck or like a pizza triangle out of the head?

Both, actually......you could cut off the head, and the stalk would grow another head. Then, you could cut the head like a pizza and each 'slice' would be a new frag. OR - you could cut the head in squares. OR you could leave the head on and cut off pieces of the rim, all the way around. There are many different ways to frag a toadstool; the way I frag mine is to take a pair of scissors and cut a small, thin piece off the back of the toadstool, so it doesn't look too bad. The sewing method is what I would use to attach the frags, no matter how you cut them.

HTH!
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11829869#post11829869 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by tanyashankles
It is a fairly young tank, only set up and running about 6 months.

hmm...........6 months is still kinda young. I might check around RC and see if anyone else might be able to chime in on how to get rid of it.....I would hate to have your tank go south because of bad information.
 
I have another question... I purchased a nice zoa colony, hundreds of polyps, just about a week ago. Should I frag it (Im kinda itchin' to) or let it settle in for a while first? Does it matter? It has some great fragging spots, it is branch rock... There are pics of it in my gallery...Thanks in advance!!
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11883875#post11883875 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by tanyashankles
I have another question... I purchased a nice zoa colony, hundreds of polyps, just about a week ago. Should I frag it (Im kinda itchin' to) or let it settle in for a while first? Does it matter?
Tanya, I wouldn't hesitate to frag them. I've fragged some corals I got from the lfs even before I put them in my tank! Esp zoas; when they're closed up, it's easier to see the best areas to frag them.

NOTE: Fragging zoas can release palytoxin. I would make sure you have eye protection, ie goggles (not glasses, don't count), and gloves. When you cut or squeeze zoas, they can squirt out at you. Be careful!
 
Great! I will start today.. My husband works in Borax production and has safety goggles, that I hate, but will wear, and I have latex gloves, so for the afternoon I guess I will look like a biochemist or something...lol...
 
Wow, that is awesome. I came on here to find out how to frag a mushroom, and whaddaya know, here it is, from mike, the one I learned the leather fragging from! I bought a loose mushroom from the LFS again for a buck, A beautiful turquoise with green stripes. Kind of watermelon mushroom I think, but anyway, I was going to frag it before mounting it, instead of removing some from colony, at least for my first time. I have a question or two though. One, How do I frag one that is attached rather well to its rock for fragging? I have some frillys (metallic green and a lavendar) but Im afraid I will kill them because they are doing so well! And 2, How do you get them to attach to larger rocks when they are growing and covering the rubble once they are making their own colony? I have a HUGE zoanthid colony, and the bottom is covered in zoas that are growing huge base's to reach for the light... I have thought of fragging those and Im not sure where to start! I am posting some pics of the first frag I did from your fragging 101 original, the leather. I will search my pc for pics and if not then I will take some fresh pictures. Anyway when I got the loose mushroom, I also picked up a loose capsule polyp, and some type of loose star polyps or perhaps a sm. piece of xenia, but I was wondering how I could mount those? Just put it in the little jello cup with lr rubble maybe? I have some tool, would that be the best way? Thanks so much! Tanya
 
Pic of zoa colony

Pic of zoa colony

This is the zoas I will be fragging...
tanyashankles
 
Re: FINALLY, Fraggin a mushroom!

Re: FINALLY, Fraggin a mushroom!

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11773942#post11773942 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Bkndsdl


Ok, now I get my tools ready: my trusty frag pan, which has been marked so as not to confuse it with the other pans in the house.
rubber_bands.jpg


Do you really need to mark that pan as "Not for cooking use"?
What do your cooking pans look like. :lol:
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11906299#post11906299 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by tanyashankles
Wow, that is awesome. I came on here to find out how to frag a mushroom, and whaddaya know, here it is, from mike, the one I learned the leather fragging from!
.......what can I say...........:cool:
One, How do I frag one (mushroom) that is attached rather well to its rock for fragging?
If you wait until it's fully open, it will show some of the trunk or base stalk. Cut it right there. You want to cut the dome from the stalk. You might need to get a razor blade and slice it little by little.
2, How do you get them to attach to larger rocks when they are growing and covering the rubble once they are making their own colony?
Epoxy. I use the tube kind, the kind you get at Lowes or Home Depot. It's in the shape of a tube, a colored outer tube with the center white. You slice off a piece, knead it in your fingers until it's a solid color, then mash it on the rock that your frag is on, and then mash that to the spot in the tank you want it.
I have a HUGE zoanthid colony, and the bottom is covered in zoas that are growing huge base's to reach for the light... I have thought of fragging those and Im not sure where to start!
That's the best place to start, because they are already wanting to detach.
I am posting some pics of the first frag I did from your fragging 101 original, the leather.
Can't wait to see 'em!
I also picked up a loose capsule polyp, and some type of loose star polyps or perhaps a sm. piece of xenia, but I was wondering how I could mount those? Just put it in the little jello cup with lr rubble maybe? I have some tool, would that be the best way?
That's how I'd start!
 
Re: Re: FINALLY, Fraggin a mushroom!

Re: Re: FINALLY, Fraggin a mushroom!

Do you really need to mark that pan as "Not for cooking use"?
What do your cooking pans look like. :lol:

.....never can be too safe. Lol, it didn't look like that until AFTER I started using it.....:lol:
 
Epoxy. I use the tube kind, the kind you get at Lowes or Home Depot.

Ok so my husband brought home an epoxy stick from work, new, he brought it for me to use, and I was wondering if that would be safe for my tank, it is just regular stick that you knead to activate.. That should work if the home depot kind will, right? And BTW, my pan looks just like yours... lol... Some of my cooking ones too! (Just cant bring myself to throw them out...) :rollface:
 
Ok its your pest again...lol... Okey dokey, I am ready to frag the zoas (I know I said that 10 times now, But I mean it this time) And I was wondering about the ones on the bottom that I told you were reaching for the light? Well I got a good look at them today, and the base of some of them are looonng, like 2-3 inches, and Im not exactly sure how to tackle it. Will it be ok just on a rock or should I tool it? I have been accused of worrying too much, fyi... lol...
 
This is Mom...
tanyashankles

This is the smallest one:
<a href="http://s130.photobucket.com/albums/p271/tanyashankles/?action=view&current=growingfrag.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p271/tanyashankles/growingfrag.jpg" border="0" alt="small frag"></a>
This is first cut:
<a href="http://s130.photobucket.com/albums/p271/tanyashankles/?action=view&current=smallleatherfrag.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p271/tanyashankles/smallleatherfrag.jpg" border="0" alt="frag #1"></a>
 
and by the way, I did it! I tackled one of my zoa colonies, and mounted some of my frags on larger rocks using epoxy, Im kinda scared to test the strength cuz it sure didnt want to adhere when it was wet but I forced it together, and THANKFULLY was wearing goggles because I got squirted a good one right in the face..lol.. It was cussing me out in its own way...Thanks so much for all your help!
 
Thanks for the steps and pics. I've got a fairly huge Devil's Hand that is definitely going to need the fragging treatment. Had no idea where to start, but this thread has been a big help. Don't feel as hesitant to tackle it now.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11910211#post11910211 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by tanyashankles
Ok so my husband brought home an epoxy stick from work, new, he brought it for me to use, and I was wondering if that would be safe for my tank, it is just regular stick that you knead to activate.. That should work if the home depot kind will, right?
Yep, same stuff. It's the same stuff that crazy infomercial guy sells, I think it's called superputty or something.......
And BTW, my pan looks just like yours...
lol. That little bit of rust won't hurt a thing!
 
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