fragging a Japanese Weeping Willow...anything unique I need to know?

[joe-ejs]

Hello. My Japanese Weeping will has grown substantially and now needs to be fragged. I have yet to frag it since I bought it. I frag leathers quite often with a scalpel and then taking the cut section and attaching it to a small rock with a rubber band for a couple weeks while it heals and attaches to the rock and then remove the rubber band.

Is the process the same for a Japanese weeping willow?

 

[KrisReef]

Yes, but I think you are supposed to use a sword?

Those are beautiful corals.

 

[jermzisurmom]

The only thing you need to know is my address when you're done!! Never frag one before but it sounds like you're on the right page.

 

[crazyfishmom]

Hello. My Japanese Weeping will has grown substantially and now needs to be fragged. I have yet to frag it since I bought it. I frag leathers quite often with a scalpel and then taking the cut section and attaching it to a small rock with a rubber band for a couple weeks while it heals and attaches to the rock and then remove the rubber band.

Is the process the same for a Japanese weeping willow?

Yes! This should work.

Question, since you do this quite frequently, have you ever cut the crown from the stalk of a toadstool? If so, what were the results?

 

[joe-ejs]

Yes! This should work.

Question, since you do this quite frequently, have you ever cut the crown from the stalk of a toadstool? If so, what were the results?

crazyfishmom,

when you say "cut the crown" are you asking if I ever cut the entire leather coral through the trunk, closest to where it is permanently attached to the rock? If so, I have not, but have thought about it as I have one that is getting larger and has one solid head. Typically, my leathers will have individual "Arms" that are attached to the main coral by maybe 30%. sort of a branch off the main head.

The Weeping willow is once large plate / head. If I use a scalpel, I would need to make a half circular cut, leaving me with a 1/2 circle frag...If I do it that way.

 

[Dbichler]

I always cut the stalk in half then frag the entire top into squares. The squares then get attached to rubble rock with rubber bands and attach in a week or two. The old stalk grows polyps back in around 4 weeks.

 

[crazyfishmom]

crazyfishmom,

when you say "cut the crown" are you asking if I ever cut the entire leather coral through the trunk, closest to where it is permanently attached to the rock? If so, I have not, but have thought about it as I have one that is getting larger and has one solid head. Typically, my leathers will have individual "Arms" that are attached to the main coral by maybe 30%. sort of a branch off the main head.

The Weeping willow is once large plate / head. If I use a scalpel, I would need to make a half circular cut, leaving me with a 1/2 circle frag...If I do it that way.

Got it . Thanks for sharing. I am thinking of cutting off the whole crown on one of my toadstools because the stalk is giant so I was wondering.

 

[joe-ejs]

I always cut the stalk in half then frag the entire top into squares. The squares then get attached to rubble rock with rubber bands and attach in a week or two. The old stalk grows polyps back in around 4 weeks.

Dbichler, so when you say cut the stalk in half, to confirm you mean the top of the coral, correct? So for example. this weeping willow looks like a extra large mushroom. I assume you refer to the top of the mushroom head/coral stalk as the same thing correct? I think you are suggesting to cut off 1/2 or a large section of it, and then make multiple frag cuts of that piece, correct? Some folks use the word stalk or crown...just want to make sure there is nothing special / different when fragging this coral vs a typical leather.

I use you approach (I think) on my other corals where I will slice a section with a scalpel, and then attach it to rock rubble with a rubber band.

 

[Gumbies R Us]

Do you have pictures of it? I would be curious to see what it looks like!

 

[Dbichler]

Don’t over complicate it they are very forgiving and don’t worry if it takes a week to see polyps extend again. Mine are primarily closed because I just fed the tank and fish flying past them like crazy. Top picture is original stalk and middle is a frag bottom is how I frag mine.

 

[joe-ejs]

Do you have pictures of it? I would be curious to see what it looks like!

Here is a picture of it. It is easily 6" in diameter. I can't cut the entire top as I would have a huge qty of frags. I will probably do a 1/4 of the top to start and see how that goes.

 

[Dbichler]

Remember the bigger the frag the faster they grow at least that has been my experience. Cutting a quarter of it may make it look funny.