Right so my Leather pictured here just after I first got it (note the white as rock!!!)

is growing like a crazy bastard. I've done a bit of reading, and it appears that the best method will be to cut a "collar" off it, then cut that into smaller frags.

Can I do this in the main tank, or do I need to remove the leather before cutting? If I remove it, it will close up and make it very difficult to cut. Also, what will be the best method of attaching to rocks? Superglue like I use with my zoos?

Cheers

It will close the moment you try and cut it, but it will also release aleopathic (toxic) compounds, so I'd remove it, cut it, give it a rinse in a bucket of old tank water, and put it back.

Best method is to attached with a rubber band. The problem you get cutting umbrella leathers is that you loss the nice round shape.

Glue does not work very well.

Ahh its an umbrella leather?

Hmm I might've sh*t in my own nest by aquakneeding its rock to other rocks lol

I might've sh*t in my own nest by aquakneeding its rock to other rocks lol

Just cut it in the tank and leave the main part,

Can anyone name the tree like coral in the middle of the tank? And what the best way to frag it would be? Its growing like crazy

get a close up pic would help

Photo taken just now. Lights have been off for a wee bit so it was starting to recede

Flash makes my rocks look terrible, hurry up coralline!

Tanks starting to look good Matt, I like all those zoos, once you get a good covering with them the tank starts to get a "other world" type look, really sets things off.

I THINK that coral is a finger leather, best as I can see the pic anyway. Finger leathers can be tough as old boots, but can also be pretty fickle if something is not right. It should only be fragged if growing well, thereby showing good health.

Easy to frag, just cut bits off. They should be wedged into a crack in a rock, but they will work their way out by expanding and contracting so should also be secured with a rubber band, the rubber band should not be tight on the frag, if need be wedge a peanut sized bit of rock behind the rubber band to hold it away from the frag a bit so it will not cut in. Leathers take a while to attach to a rock, usually several weeks.

BTW, that "umbrella" coral, an easy way to frag it would be cut the whole head off and remove it from the tank. Then slice it up into as many frags as you want & attach them to rocks same way as the finger leather. The origional stalk will grow a new head and in a few months look exactly the same as it did before you cut it.

Can anyone name the tree like coral in the middle of the tank?

Some type of sinularia sp. hard to id most of them to species. Might even be a capnella sp, but hard to tell from photo,

Pair of scissors. Just cut the branches off and rubber band to rocks. Tight enough to hold but not so tight that the band crushes them.

So rubber band them so they're facing sideways? Will it grow upwards towards the light?

I've googled the species u mentioned reef, and it looks more like a capnella sp, but it's still a bit different. I'm sure I've seen a pic on these forums that you've posted that I thought was identical to it, but buggered if I can find the post During the day its fully extended, and an hour or so after lights out, its pretty much closed up into 2 fist sized balls (obviously from 2 frags on the rock)

Thanks Wasp, I still think the tank needs more colour so I'm going to frag the small amount of different coloured zoos from the main colonies (got some violet and orange/green ones growing in there) and put them on seperate rocks to try and grow them out a bit. Fragging that umbrella leather like you suggested gives me the heebies just thinking about it. Do you think that would be the best method, or should I just slice a nice big piece of it and cut that up? Will need to do something soon anyway, its only an inch away from touching the grape coral infront of it, and I've seen what a euphyllia can do to a leather!

So rubber band them so they're facing sideways? Will it grow upwards towards the light?

They will attached and grow upwards

leather like you suggested gives me the heebies just thinking about it. Do you think that would be the best method, or should I just slice a nice big piece of it and cut that up?

Either or. You say it closes up into "two fist size balls", perhaps since it is your first go at fragging just chop one of them, see how it works out, and this will get your confidence up. But sooner or later you will have to do something, if left these things get HUGE.

How did this go Matt, you done it yet?

i was wondering if you had a toad stool pin chusion leather, could u cut the whole head off so you could move it onto a different rock??

Yes. Just cut the whole head off and over the next few weeks or months the stalk will grow a new head. The old head can be put somewhere else, they are slow to attach though you need to fix it in place enough to withstand several weeks before it attaches itself.

No :oops: I haven't got round to it yet, bit scared! lol

Well if or when it happens, let's know!

I cut mine vertically rather than horisontally, otherwist they look silly when they have a big stalk and a smallish head