Zoanthids Propagation
- Thread starter Robz
- Start date
Pro_builder
Well-Known Member
Thanks for all the great info 
I ahve learned a lot from your step by step instructions, and pictures.
I ahve learned a lot from your step by step instructions, and pictures.thanks for the great info logical, rob, and travis...hopefully you guys'll be able to answer a few questions i've had with my zoos:
1. when you mention "cutting the polyps" and attaching them to your frag rock, are you actually separating the polyps you want from the colony mat and prying them up from the rock or are you separating them and chipping that piece of the rock away that they're attached to? i've had some success actually prying a group of polyps off of a rock w/ an exacto knife and letting them attach themselves to rubble in a low current cup, but i've been nervous applying glue gel directly to their mat.
2. is any gel glue ok? some people on this thread have mentioned just picking some up from wal-mart, and i was wondering if these types of glues might have any effect on the tank water.
well, i knew i had a 3rd question, but i can't remember it. anyways, thanks for the great pictures and info, guys!
blenny
1. when you mention "cutting the polyps" and attaching them to your frag rock, are you actually separating the polyps you want from the colony mat and prying them up from the rock or are you separating them and chipping that piece of the rock away that they're attached to? i've had some success actually prying a group of polyps off of a rock w/ an exacto knife and letting them attach themselves to rubble in a low current cup, but i've been nervous applying glue gel directly to their mat.
2. is any gel glue ok? some people on this thread have mentioned just picking some up from wal-mart, and i was wondering if these types of glues might have any effect on the tank water.
well, i knew i had a 3rd question, but i can't remember it. anyways, thanks for the great pictures and info, guys!
blenny
Cougra
Well-Known Member
Blenny:
I personally pry up some of the polyps from the rock and cut the flesh from the main colony. I then take that small clump of polyps and glue them onto another rock. I put the glue on the rock and let sit for a couple seconds then put the polyps on that glue.
I've used plain gel type Krazy glue rince the colony off in some water I took from the tank to get rid of any debris or initial toxins that may be present.
I personally pry up some of the polyps from the rock and cut the flesh from the main colony. I then take that small clump of polyps and glue them onto another rock. I put the glue on the rock and let sit for a couple seconds then put the polyps on that glue.
I've used plain gel type Krazy glue rince the colony off in some water I took from the tank to get rid of any debris or initial toxins that may be present.
Awesome Thread, Robz!!! Thanks!!! And so good to see your zos!!!
So, you put a dab of the gel superglue on the Dry rock, right? Then you put a dab of it one the back of the wet zo frag and immerse the zo frag back in sw, upside down, till the gel forms a skin, right? Then, pop the frag out and press it in place on the rock.
Do you put the dab of gel in the center of the zo frag, or on one edge?
Also, do you immediately immerse the glued zo back in sw, or hold it together a minute first?
Thanks, Rob!!!
So, you put a dab of the gel superglue on the Dry rock, right? Then you put a dab of it one the back of the wet zo frag and immerse the zo frag back in sw, upside down, till the gel forms a skin, right? Then, pop the frag out and press it in place on the rock.
Do you put the dab of gel in the center of the zo frag, or on one edge?
Also, do you immediately immerse the glued zo back in sw, or hold it together a minute first?
Thanks, Rob!!!
UnderWaterParadise
my name is Rob and I'm a Zooaholic
I hold the newly glued frag for 20-30 seconds then I place it in a bowlf of water.
As for glue I use the SUPER Glue Gel.
As for glue I use the SUPER Glue Gel.
ok...so, sorry if i'm beating this thing to death and repeating things needlessly, but let me see if i have this straight (i've always wanted to do more aggressive fragging, but was scared to...till now, i've waited till 1 or 2 polyps grew onto neighboring rocks/rubble and cut them off...or i just chipped rock pieces off and cut the connecting mat)
1. isolate the target polyps from their mat
2. pry up the target polyps from the rock
3. apply gel glue to frag base & let sit for several seconds
4. place target polyps on frag base and hold together (w/ light pressure?) until bond sets
5. rinse off
6. return to prop tank
so, if this is the case, does the frag base need to be dried first or does the gel glue work fine in wet conditions? how much flow can a newly glued frag handle?
sorry about all the questions, but thanks for all the helpful info!
blenny
1. isolate the target polyps from their mat
2. pry up the target polyps from the rock
3. apply gel glue to frag base & let sit for several seconds
4. place target polyps on frag base and hold together (w/ light pressure?) until bond sets
5. rinse off
6. return to prop tank
so, if this is the case, does the frag base need to be dried first or does the gel glue work fine in wet conditions? how much flow can a newly glued frag handle?
sorry about all the questions, but thanks for all the helpful info!
blenny
UnderWaterParadise
my name is Rob and I'm a Zooaholic
You got it. I usually dry the piece of rubble you are gluing them to. The SG gel will work wet though as well. As for flow as long as the glue has set they should be fine in any amount of current you would put a normal colony in
Cougra
Well-Known Member
Boomer, those are the steps I follow and haven't had a problem with the colonies to date. I dry off the rock before I put the glue on there, then I take a clean rag and pat the bottom of the frag to get most of the water off it. The gel type glue dries fairly quickly so you don't need to keep the pressure on long.
As for the water flow, I had mine in some slow moving sections of the tank until they started to spread again. I kept the new colonies as close to the parent colony as possible so they could have similar water movement and lighting.
As for the water flow, I had mine in some slow moving sections of the tank until they started to spread again. I kept the new colonies as close to the parent colony as possible so they could have similar water movement and lighting.
Craig Manoukian
Well-Known Member
Good tips on "forced" fragging! Thanks
I still use the the "let them propogate and colonize on their own" method by placing a suitable rock nearby for them to spread to.
:smirk:
I still use the the "let them propogate and colonize on their own" method by placing a suitable rock nearby for them to spread to.
:smirk:
Curtswearing
Active Member
Linesides,
I have only seen this happen once. I don't have any biological explanations whatsoever. I'm gonna go with Robz's explanation---it's likely a reflex action.
I have only seen this happen once. I don't have any biological explanations whatsoever. I'm gonna go with Robz's explanation---it's likely a reflex action.
middletonmark
Member
Originally posted by EdgeKrusher
Sweet I've wanted to know how to do that!
EK
Well, it's sadly on another site ... but I have a thread there about it [soon will be on my personal site ... propagating again today [giving a demo to a couple folks] ... and am taking more pics and will re-do it with stuff I've learned further.
Anyway - link is:
http://www.reeffreaks.com/viewtopic.php?t=1332
And thanks for the great Zoanthid prop demo.
Curtswearing
Active Member
I'm glad you are putting that info here Mark.
uclacsnerd
Member
great thread thanks
thanks rob, this is great information.
will this same method work on mushrooms? i have tried to peel them off with my fingers and only succeeded in destroying the poor thing.. i have since given up on fraggin these things. I have seen tanks where shrooms/zos cover the back wall and they look amazing.
thanks rob, this is great information.
will this same method work on mushrooms? i have tried to peel them off with my fingers and only succeeded in destroying the poor thing.. i have since given up on fraggin these things. I have seen tanks where shrooms/zos cover the back wall and they look amazing.
Curtswearing
Active Member
I would look at this thread on Fragging Mushrooms