Assisted budding?

[ReefLady]

I recently posted some growth pics of my branching hammer here.

http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=490

I would love to have some babies from this fellow, but can't bring myself to frag it as its growth has been so extraordinary (IMO).

However, there are dozens- possibly 100- tiny buds growing off the branches. I have seen these for quite some time, and was always hopeful that they would fall off and attach to the rockwork to form new colonies. However, that hasn't happened, and the buds seem to remain at a very small size because (I'm assuning) they're shielded from light by the full-grown branches and heads.

Anyone have experience with manually removing these buds and transplanting them to rock?

I was considering gently breaking several off to fall onto the rockwork in hopes they would colonize and grow.

So, I'm throwing this one out there to the prop experts- what do you think?

Travis

 

[Curtswearing]

I've never tried it but I bet if you did the cut cleanly you would have a shot.

(I'm also kindof tagging along for the ride).

 

[Woodstock]

I also believe you have had extraodinary growth! Very nice hammerS! My hammer hasn't grown near that much.

I'll watch this thread too....

 

[Cosmic]

I can't say that I have been brave enough to try it yet, but I can offer up some thoughts on the subject.

First, I don't think it's a good idea to snap them off IF the skeleton they are attached to is still a healthy bright white, like near the heads of the coral. I think the "young" are still using the mother colony to survive. This is only MHO tho.

If the skeleton they are attached to looks grey or "old", then chances are that the baby is not still part of the mother colony.

The tissue of euphyllias goes fairly deep into the recesses of the skeleton, and in the first example, it's possible that the young's tissue is still attached to the main growing head. Again, this isn't a fact, but a well-earned hunch.

Finally, I wouldn't frag it if ANY tissue still connects it to the main head, on the Outside, I.E. the tissue covering the skeleton. Any time you have to tear tissue, you leave that coral open to infection and possible mortality. Good news is that branching hammers will each be affected individually instead of as a colony, meaning only immediate polyps will be affected.

Let us know if you DO try it out!
Cos

 

[ReefLady]

Thanks for the info Cos.

I can definitely tell you that many of the buds are as far as 2" away from the nearest head. What concerns me is the fact that the tissue may run deeper than I thought. So if I "snap off" a bud, I could kill it but it shouldn't affect the rest of the colony- assuming it's one of the ones attached to basically dead skeleton. Correct?

I might just give this a try, just for the heck of it. Now I'm even considering supergluing a few buds onto a piece of rubble. (anybody seen my glasses? LOL) If I snap them off, I think their chances of attaching are pretty slim in my "wild wild west" of a tank.

T

 

[Craig Manoukian]

I would recommend the use of a sharp dremel tool to minimize trauma and tearing if you haven't already considered it. A more surgical procedure if you will.

:smirk:

 

[mredman]

Travis.......I'd be careful.....I heard that fragging hammers is like "budding" heads!!!

Mike

 

[mredman]

Travis, great success story with the hammer coral!

Mike

 

[cheeks69]

I too have a large hammer and was thinking of somehow fragging it because it's stinging the corals all around it. Let us know how you make out:chair:

 

[StoneyReef]

Here I come to save the day?

Travis, my hammers grow extraordinary like yours. Also my frog spawn and torch, just something about my tank, anyhow, in the last year I have had to frag my frog about 10 times. That is frags of big heads.

The little guys can be just broken off and glued to a rock. Otherwise they do stay small from lack of light. Usually it does not take much effort at all to break them off. If it takes more than slight effort, then leave it. I have picked it up and just brushing them have made the lil guys fall off. I have mine drop off on their own quite often to never been seen again, if I do not get them out immediately. Who knows, perhaps I have a secret hammer society cult hiding in my life rock?

 

[ReefLady]

Awesome stoney reef, thanks!

T

 

[wooddood]

go for it travis.