Need to frag my toadstool. Stupid question inside.

[cr500_af]

My toadstool is getting way big. I need to trim it down. I want to reduce the diameter, so I figured on taking about an inch or two all the way around the outside... kind of like cutting the first three songs off a vinyl album. The reason for this is to keep its roundish shape.

The question is, how much of the outer rim can I cut away per session to keep the parent coral pretty safe? Halfway around maybe? I assume that doing it all at once would be too risky for the coral... not to mention the slime that would result.

 

[weaglereefer]

From the looks here, they can take some abuse, looks like they just cut all the way around it.

 

[cr500_af]

Thank you. Ansley and I were discussing that if one were to do it with a scalpel, and take an unbroken ring (like a doughnut), what would it grow like? Very tempting to try and see what happens...
BTW, Jeff, as a reward for the effort digging up the link, a frag is yours if you want one.

 

[budsreef]

You could always cut it off at the base, frag or sell it, and let it grow anew from the base that was left.

 

[rugdog65]

I have cut them around to just a small center left on stalk...I have cut off the entire head....I even pulled a rather large one out of a display only for it to start re-growing from what was left on the rock. I think it would be hard to kill whatever you decide.

 

[weaglereefer]

Hey Barry, I'd love a frag, thanks!

 

[raz0945]

I frag my Yellow Mushroom Coral In February. I made cuts about 1 1/2" in so I could remove the strips easier. Had a bowl of tank water to put them in, I had to do this in the tank because of the size of the mushroom and rock. I fragged with a pair of very sharp scissors. I cut the three stripes up in the bowl and had 16 1-2" strips, cleaned them with fresh tank water, glued them to large plugs and put them on a frag rack next to the mother coral. All the corals close to them closed up so I did a water change and it made a difference for the other coral. One of the problems with fragging a big coral(10-12") is you have so many frags it is hard to find homes for them, not many people want a mushroom coral that will get to 10"- 12" across. I have pictures of the mushroom and frags on my last thread so you can see the mother coral about 6 weeks after I fragged. Good Luck