cutting leathers?

[Josh Weber]

hey i need some info on cutting leather corals. is this safe? and if so what would i need to do it correctly. any kind of info is much wanted!!! thanks
josh :lol:

 

[Rob Top]

garf.org has some good info, vids even. I have had the best luck with finger leathers. I just cut off a pcs about 2-3" in size and use nylon thread to hold it on to a rock and in a week or so it is attached and that's it. Very easy to do.

 

[MartinE]

This site might help a little with your propagation needs:
http://www.frags.org/resources.php

 

[FragMaster]

Hi Josh,
Leathers are the most forgiving coral to cut and propogate on the planet.
1: You need a brand new razor blade or the sharpest scisors you can find.
2: Only cut the outer edge of the cap ( say 1-2" inward if its a large specimen) if its a toadstool leather and only the tips off of the branches ( 1-2" max)if its a finger or other branchy leather.
3: GENTLY rubber band the cuttings CUT SIDE OUT to the rock,or you can use nylon mesh, tooth pick it to a crevase ect ect....
If you make sure to place the cut side up you CAN Use super glue gell to atatch them to the rock. Super glue dosent always work though.
Sometimes theywill slime it off, or when the swell up with water or deflate theywill free themselves from the glued area.

After you have cut your leather ( ESPECIALY FINGER LEATHERS) it will look like doo-doo for up to two weeks. It will also slime frequently.
Its normal and all apart of the healing process.

 

[Len]

FWIW, a lot of leathers don't take well to being attached via rubberbands or monofilament line IME. They seem to disinegrate at the pressure points. Toothpicking doesn't always work either. Personally, I prefer to wedge it into a piece of rock and let it attach on its own. Make sure there isn't critters or high current that can carry away the frag.

 

[Josh Weber]

ok i read up on it, and i found alot of info related to doing this stuff. i superglued three cuts that i made on a leather and they look good so far. i read that they will look bad for a week or two and then once attatched, will start to grow again. i also read about cutting mushrooms. i read that they are much more lible to get paricites on them once cut, but it can be done succesfully. do you guys have any info on this??? much appriciated!!
josh
ps. the site i went to to get all the info is frags.org.

 

[FragMaster]

Mushrooms are tricky. Ricordea mushrooms can be cut with little to no worries, as well as tonga, but discomosa's will slime away 50 percent of the time.

 

[pwj1286]

I have used rubber bands to frag some Sinularia, but the skinny rubber bands cut it with time. It is very difficult to do some leathers, where as some are very easy.
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[Josh Weber]

ok, i cut a fluorescent blues-striped corallimorphs. he was about 3 inches round and so i cut off 3, one centimeter slivers and a day later they are curled in a little bit and are starting to look like a mushroom. any idea how long this will take to fully form? also how can i detect protozoans and are they likely to attact? i put the cut peices into a broken off clam shell. if there is any more suggestions anyone has i would love to hear them!!
thanks, josh :lol: