propagation of ricodiea mushrooms.

[fishguy007]

i have some ricordea mushroom frags in my tank. all single. what will it take to make these multiply quickly?

also how long does it take for them to multiply.

[hillbillyreefer]

This sounds a bit nasty but works well.

Place the ric on a cutting board. Take a #11 exacto knife(or similar razor type blade) place the tip of the blade in the mouth. Cut the ric in 1/2 or 1/4's. As long as you have a bit of mouth on all the pieces they will curl back around and turn into little rics in a couple days. Shouldn't take more than a week or so and you won't be able to tell they were cut. When done put them in a piece of pipe with the bottom sealed with plastic window screen and some sort of rubble or oyster shell in the bottom. Put this is a very low flow area of the tank. Maybe cover the top of the pipe with bridal veil or window screen to keep the little rics from ending up all over the tank. I haven't lost any doing it this way.

Good luck. Anymore questions just ask.

[Oscar]

Another ric question: I have two rics that have grown towards each other and at mid day they overlap each other in their competition for light.

I would like to move one of these rics. Do I just peel it back and cut its "foot"?

[hillbillyreefer]

Yup. When you remove the first one there is a good chance it will grow back. Win/Win situation.

[Chowder]

How long does it take for the rics to look fully grown again?

Thanks, Chris

[hillbillyreefer]

IIRC when you cut them in half it takes 1-2 weeks for them to grow back into a circle and heal. Within a month or two the cut in 1/2 ones have returned to mature size. I can't remember how long it takes for a new one to grow if you cut it off the rock. I'm sure someone on here knows.

[Amante]

This is waht i do too but i fill shooter glasses with half rubble and place frags in it. The glass you can see thru it and monitor its status. Also if its flipped upside down you can see it and fix it.

Originally Posted by hillbillyreefer

This sounds a bit nasty but works well.

Place the ric on a cutting board. Take a #11 exacto knife(or similar razor type blade) place the tip of the blade in the mouth. Cut the ric in 1/2 or 1/4's. As long as you have a bit of mouth on all the pieces they will curl back around and turn into little rics in a couple days. Shouldn't take more than a week or so and you won't be able to tell they were cut. When done put them in a piece of pipe with the bottom sealed with plastic window screen and some sort of rubble or oyster shell in the bottom. Put this is a very low flow area of the tank. Maybe cover the top of the pipe with bridal veil or window screen to keep the little rics from ending up all over the tank. I haven't lost any doing it this way.

Good luck. Anymore questions just ask.

[reefsurf]

After it grows back to normal, how do you put it back on rock?

Originally Posted by Amante

This is waht i do too but i fill shooter glasses with half rubble and place frags in it. The glass you can see thru it and monitor its status. Also if its flipped upside down you can see it and fix it.

[dabandit]

You put it in a container witth small liverock pieces ie;shot glass and it will attach on its own. I use the razor technique if you only cut the mushroom in half being carefull to get a piece of mouth in both pieces it will reform and attach to the liverock pieces in as little as a week. If you cut the foot off the rock be sure to get as much of the stump as possible and dont be alarmed if you see intestine looking stuff in the stump. This seems intimidating but every piece ive ever tried worked. P.S make sure you cut with 1 clean pass of the knife DONT saw it. Good Luck! but it's sooo easy you wont need it.