My first Xenia and my first time fragging

krazy302

Member
I just got some Xenia today and fragged a small piece. This is the first time I ever did it so I hope I did it right..
All I did is put in in a small bowl of SW and held it with my fingers and cut the piece off as close as I could to the rock..Then put it on a piece of rubble rock and covered it with tull.. :thinking: :thinking:

 

rayraypico

Member
Whats the net around it?? I have fragged xenia before and all I did was cut the xenia with a razor and then rubberband it around the rock. After a couple of days you can cut the rubberband off. I have never seen it done with a net, not to say it cant be done that way but I have never seen it.
 

mag395

Member
Good job, that looks right. But I don't think you need that many rubber bands. I guess it depends on your flow. I use 1 small rubber band or sometimes I can just make the netting grip the rock. It should take hold in 2 days but I usually wait till the 3rd to be sure.
I like the netting better because it's less touching the coral. I've heard that rubber bands can hurt them if they're too tight. Also, I just found out that you shouldn't handle the Xenia, or any other mucous producing coral, with your hands b/c of bacteria infecting the coral or something.
 

sharkbait9

Active Member
Good job on your first frag, look good
:cheer: :jumping:
.
The net is another way to secure the frag of “X” to the rock. If the frag is of a slimy coral I.e. shrooms, the glue won’t really stick/ grab hold of the coral and the frag can float away.
Yes, some just rubber band the coral to the rubble rock with success. It has been my experience that just a rubber band holding the frag to the rock stress’s them out more and it takes a little longer to take hold.
I have found that if you net the frag on a piece of rubble rock and place it in the same area it was in prior to fragging it will attach relatively quicker then a rubber band.
JM2$
 

stanlalee

Active Member
Originally Posted by RAYRAYPICO
do they recomend the netting for fragging xenia? I have not seen that before
with xenia all you have to do is place a rock or surface you want it to grow on next to where it is and push the current in the direction of the rock you want it to grow on via powerhead or whatever. Usually doesn't take anywhere but a few days to a few weeks to have spread to the new surface. then you just cut it between the new and old surface. I would move my one little frag rock anywhere I wanted Xania to grow in the tank.
 

travis89

Active Member
Could you use window screening or are the holes to small? I usually use fishing line and tie them to a rock but it is taking forever for my kenya tree to attach.
 

mag395

Member
Stanlalee, that's a good way I've never heard of before. I'll have to try it. Window screen is sometimes too ridged. Use something like tool (the stuff they use in dresses). I havn't looked, but you can probably find a number of things that would work in a fabric store or Walmart.
 

lt34

Member
My lfs just gave me some xenia and told me to tuck it between two rocks and it should take off. I didn't know I wasn't suppose to handle it either. This is my first corals so I hope I didn't just kill it.
 

travis89

Active Member
It should be fine. I touch my xenia all the time on accident and it just closes up and is fine in about 10 minutes. It will usually take a few days to open for the first time though if you just got it. Xenia is very hard to kill.
 
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