How to frag Xenia

[Patrick J]

Xenia spreads like a weed!!! You do not need to throw it away the unwanted ployps. Trade them on Frag Outpost!!

Matrerials:

*Plastic mesh bag with small holes no bigger than this O (one you would buy a sack of onions or lemons)
*Sharp razor blade or scissors
*rubber bands
*1-1/2 to 2 inch pieces of rock, coral chucks, snail shells, anything really.
*A dish, tupperware ect w/ your tanks water in it.

Procedure:

1. Locate a larger established ployp. (pick the one you dont want to see anymore, not your awesome show one)
2. Cut close to the stalk's connection with the rock.
3. GRAB IT BEFORE IT FLOATS AWAY!!!
4. Put the cutting into the dish.
5. Take the cutting and cut it half into smaller pieces (a two inch colony would be cut four times.)
6. Take the mesh and cut it to an aporpiate size to the rock enough to rubber ban the mesh to the rock.
7. Take rock and the xenia colony and put the mesh over the colonies, make sure the polyps are facing up through the nets.
8. Rubber ban the mesh around the rock.
9. Quickly take your new colony and put it back into the main tank.

Note: It will look bad for a while, brown and purple pale look to it, give it about two weeks or more and you will have a two inch tall stock and ploylps pulsing!!! Make sure you only trade healthy polyps use your best judgement!!

PS. this video http://www.garf.org/MPegs/XeniaPropagation.mpg will help you out as well.

Good luck and happy fragging

[FragOutpost]

Excellent tutorial Patrick. Thanks for taking the time to write this up and post it on Frag Outpost. I would love to see some pics if you have any.

Xenia was on my list of future fragging tutorials.

Keep up the good work! :)

[D12monkey]

Shouldn't you rise off the frags in a clean saltwater rinse before putting it back in the tank?

[Patrick J]

I dont think it matters really that much, Xenia secretes a heavy mucus (expecially when fragged or damaged), so to counter act this, currents in your tank washes it away, which is nesscary to anyone who raises Xenia.

I don't see a real reason, however if your methods work, thats cool then.

[richfish]

Do You Know What An Alvepora Is Patrick?if You Do How Do I Frag It? :d

[Patrick J]

If I am not mistaken, Alvepora is an LPS (Large Stony Polyp), which are very hard to frag without severely damaging or killing them.

The only way I would know to make them reproduce is for them to spawn which, is a completely different story.

I would not suggest it but, if you are daring (and can afford to loose it) you can find a rouge tentacle, one that is far away from the rest of the colony, you could find a way to cut just that one, maybe.

I would not do it to any other LPS & especially Goniopora, which die for no reason.

[richfish]

if i were to try were would i cut it????

[Patrick J]

you might kill it or atleast kill a part of it.

[richfish]

what is the easiest LPS OR SOFT CORAL TO FRAG?

[FragOutpost]

The easiest LPS corals to frag would be Caulastrea (Candy Cane or Trumpet Coral) or Euphyllia (Frogspawn).

For an example of fragging Caulastrea - http://www.fragoutpost.com/fragging_tutorials/caulastrea.php


Almost all soft corals are very easy to frag.

[Patrick J]

Most braching LPS are rather easy, but when it comes to bubble or flower pot corals, eeehhhh, I wouldnt dare.

[goRdieh0we]

I have had a lot of success propagating Xenia. I've included a picture of the new frag and the mother. This frag is 2 weeks old and doing very well. I'm interested in obtaining some mushroom anenomes preferably blue, purple, or striped. Also any zoos that are brightly colored I would be willing to trade for.
Thanks