How do i frag a toad stool coral?

[fishfreek]

I have what i think, is a common toad stool wich i am interested in cutting a frag from. The toad stool is pinkish in color with about 1/2" long star shaped polyps. I've had the coral about three months and is really doing well. Its head is about 4"x4" and is about 3-4" tall. What is a good method to use as far as cutting goes? Do i just cut off the whole top? What a good way to get it to stick to a piece of rock?
Thanks,

 

[nm reef]

First I want to say that I do not know how to frag any coral........I've actually not gotten to the point in my reef keeping experience to venture into fragging my critters.....now with that said,,,,,,,,
I added a toadstool coral (sarcophyton sp. recently and after a few weeks saw 2 small sections that were kind of dangleing from the main body...being curious and always trying to learn I removed these 2 small sections and carefully placed them in low current places on my reef(in crevices on the rock with good light and low current).....and guess what......I now have one large toadstool and 2 lil babies..........my first ever frag and it was accidental.....but I suspect that sections of the main head can be removed to start new frags but I can not tell you how to do this.....mine were sort of already seperating and I simply removed them.....sorry but this isn't the help you were looking for....maybe one of the more experienced reef keepers can detail the steps needed to frag this coral

 

[fender]

I know this off-topic but do any of you guys with a toad stool have clownfish in with them?
I have heard that a toadstool makes a pretty good clownfish host and I don't think I want to venture in the anenome world just yet. So if any one has had luck with clowns and toadstools let me know.
Right now my female false perc is trying to bond with my mushroom.....

 

[miner]

Yes I have a Maroon Clown who lives in my toldstool. Both are very happy.

 

[fender]

Thanks Shrimp!
I have been wanting to get my babies a nice home for awhile, but am still unsure if I wanted to do the anenome thing. I would rather use a non-ocean harvested toadstool than a rob some clownfish of their home in the wild.

 

[salisbury a d]

My book here call "A Guide to the Selection, Care and Breeding of Corals for the Mini-Reef Aquarium" by Dr. Herbert R Axelrod Says that the genus Sarcophyton are easy to breed, all you do is just cut them into pieces.
Adam

 

[mal]

I just did this with my toadstool about two weeks ago. I just cut the top off with sterile scissors, and then cut the top in half. I gave one half to my buddy. The top portion that I kept has already attached itself to some LR, and the stump is starting to grow a new top. I had read all about it on another web site (e-mail me, amalaby@hotmail.com) and finally got the courage to try it.

 

[fishfreek]

Mal, when you cut the top off, did you just cut it at the top of the stem just below the head? Did you use a rubber band or something to secure it to the piece of live rock? Did you do all of this when the polyps were extended or did you wait after lights were out and cut it when all was retracted? Sorry about all the questions, it just makes me kind of nervous with this being my first cutting and all. I don't want to end up killing the coral entirely.
Thanks,

 

[coconuttelegraph01]

what happened with NM's toadstool also happend to mine several months ago. The budding is doing really well and is almost 2 inches tall.
The procedure for propogating toadstools that i find works the best (other than letting them do it themselves) is to cut with sterilized scissors a triangular piece from the edge to just before the stalk. (kinda like a pizza slice) attach it to a small piece of LR with a rubberband and place it in an area of moderate current. the main toadstool should also have a good amount of current so that shed muocus can be carried from the animal.
good luck!
[ September 06, 2001: Message edited by: CoconutTelegraph01 ]

 

[mal]

fishfreak,
I cut the top off just below the head. The polyps were extended at the time. I know the nervous feeling you have. I had it too. Then I got the courage up to do it and both are doing very well. Use a loose rubber band to attach it to a piece of rock. Don't let the band "bite" into the coral, just enough pressure to hold it in place. Then put both in a higher water flow than they were in, to help with more nutrients, and waste as they heal and re-grow. I didn't feel good about it when I did it, but know I know from personal experience it is easy. I'll do it again when they are healthy big enough.