Attaching soft coral

Kinesthesia · 02-14-2001, 08:20 AM

I've heard of people attaching corals with superglue, but I wasn't clear on whether they were talking about soft or hard corals. I've got some pieces of Green Star Polyps, which are my favorite coral lying around on my sandbed. But with the current, crabs, fish, etc.. they are often flipped over and I'd like to attach them to a rock. Can I glue them, and could someone give me a detailed description of how to do it, so I don't hurt them?

For example, I assume that I shouldn't have them out of water long to glue them, but I'm not sure how effective the glue will be with two wet surfaces, etc.

Thanks.

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I was sure that anything this expensive and addicting was illegal... I keep waiting for the ATF to kick my door down and grab my protein skimmer...

My 120 Pseudo-Reef

Doug1 · 02-14-2001, 08:44 AM

Superglue isn't the best for attaching soft coral frags as they tend to slime at the cut site but I have had good luck attaching pieces of star polyps and brireum mat with it. I take the frag out and dry the bacs ide and press it into the glob of glue on the rock. It doesnt t ake much

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I dont advocate holding marine creatures for ransom but......since you asked

Doug, plank owner
http://hellreef.homestead.com/index.html
www.thereeftank.com/ubb/Forum2/HTML/000001.html

Kinesthesia · 02-14-2001, 02:06 PM

How long should I hold it out of the water ?

And the "surface" that the polyps come out of / retract into seems to have curved, should I attempt to flatten it when I glue it ?

And do I glue the whole underside, or try to just glue two ends down and hope the rest attaches itself ?

Thanks for the assist.

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I was sure that anything this expensive and addicting was illegal... I keep waiting for the ATF to kick my door down and grab my protein skimmer...

My 120 Pseudo-Reef

PatTheAttack · 02-14-2001, 02:21 PM

HI- YOU KNOW IF YOU HAVE A FAVORITE "ROCK" & REALLY WANT THE POLYPS ON IT, YOU CAN PUT OTHER ROCKS AROUND IT TO PREVENT ALOT OF CURRENT.I HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. tHEY "WILL" IN ABOUT 6 WEEKS START TO GRAB ON "by THEM SELFS. It's rewarding to know you did it.

Kinesthesia · 02-14-2001, 02:39 PM

Thanks Pat, but I've tried that repeatedly and I don't know if it's fish or crabs or shrimp or what, but not only do they get knocked off the rocks but the ones lying in the sand get turned over constantly.

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I was sure that anything this expensive and addicting was illegal... I keep waiting for the ATF to kick my door down and grab my protein skimmer...

My 120 Pseudo-Reef

Pik · 02-14-2001, 02:46 PM

I've never tried this... but.. what about tying it to a rock w/ some thread? or fishing line and then cutting that off later?

Kinesthesia · 02-14-2001, 03:06 PM

Hmmm... I've seen Garf videos of them using some kind of netting, but I like to *see* my polyps. String wouldn't be too bad, if we're talking about six weeks. But I am talking about three separate pieces that I'd like to attach to one rock and I'm not sure how easy it would be to tie the smallest one...

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I was sure that anything this expensive and addicting was illegal... I keep waiting for the ATF to kick my door down and grab my protein skimmer...

My 120 Pseudo-Reef

Rick O · 02-14-2001, 05:36 PM

If it's a large mat then just put a few drops on in different places. It will grow onto the rock by itself. The purpose of the superglue is just to hold it in place until it attachs on it's own. You can put it back into the water immediately after gluing. The water will cause the superglue to skim over and hold.

Rick

Alice · 02-14-2001, 08:15 PM

K;

It should only take you a few minutes to do all the glueing procedure, that won't hurt the coral any. Just don't run off to answer the phone and forget it http://www.thereeftank.com/ubb/wink.gif

I use toothpicks to attach polyps here and there around the tank. Just stick it through the polyps and into the rock. No muss, no fuss and you can do it all under water.

~Alice

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Reefkeeping is my life; I can't afford a hobby too! My specs: www.thereeftank.com/ubb/Forum2/HTML/000029.html

jlreese · 02-15-2001, 08:21 PM

Alice -

You mean to tell me that you stick a toothpick through a polyp (soft coral?) and into your live rock to get them to attach to the reef? Sounds interesting - but seems a little "werid". http://www.thereeftank.com/ubb/ohno.gif

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Jody L. Reese

Kinesthesia · 02-15-2001, 08:29 PM

Does the glue dissolve over time, or is it there forever ?

I glued some Ricordia polyps I had floating around as a test, them seem to be holding and doing fine.

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I was sure that anything this expensive and addicting was illegal... I keep waiting for the ATF to kick my door down and grab my protein skimmer...

My 120 Pseudo-Reef

tdwyatt · 02-15-2001, 08:40 PM

Maybe not forever, but... ...a pretty good while. This is kind of moot, as the coral/claudellia, zooanthid, whatever will cover this as well as it does the rock.

Alice · 02-15-2001, 08:44 PM

Jody;

With posts like "open brain eats clown", behavior such as staring at a dark tank with the aid of a flashlight with a red lense and paying $$ for smelly rocks I can't imagine much being wierd with this hobby, lol. The thought of superglue in my tank totally freaked me out when I first heard that; the toothpicks didn't phase me much http://www.thereeftank.com/ubb/wink.gif They work well for star polyps, mushrooms, colts, leathers, etc. I use the plastic ones as a matter of preference but the wood ones work fine, too.

K;

The glue doesn't really dissolve per se but will break apart eventually.

~Alice

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Reefkeeping is my life; I can't afford a hobby too! My specs: www.thereeftank.com/ubb/Forum2/HTML/000029.html

Nugg · 02-16-2001, 12:50 PM

Glad I caught this thread, I'm about to frag a colt that is overgrowing my tank.

Alice - the toothpick method sounds like the easiest one I've heard about so far, but one question - doesn't the coral tissue attach to the toothpick itself, making removal of the toothpick messy/damaging? Also, should I only cut small outer branches, or can I snip it near the base of one of the stalks?

Thanks,

Jeff

jlreese · 02-16-2001, 04:50 PM

Alice -

Loved your reply http://www.thereeftank.com/ubb/biggrin.gif , you have a point, I take back the wierd part!!!
Just as the previous reply, I wonder if you have had any problems removing the toothpick? Do you wait aprox. a week before removing it? I have used the superglue on some of my coral and it seems to work great as long as I put my new frag in an area where the current is not as swift. After a week it seems to be reattached without any problems.

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Jody L. Reese

[This message has been edited by jlreese (edited 02-16-2001).]

Attaching soft coral

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