Fragging a Florida ric?

[theJ]

Anyone have any good tips or links on fragging rics? the ric we have now is a huge jumbled mess of ricordia, about the size of my fist. I would estimate at least 4 'heads' now each head having 2-3 mouths. When fully open, the largest 'head' looks like 2 golf balls next to each other. Most people I talk to are pretty content with chopping it up with an exacto knife, but are there any other methods out there? After its fragged, I know its preferable to lay the pieces out on some rubble, but getting to that point is what scares me. BTW, this ric is simply wedged into some rock work, only attached to a small quarter sized piece of rubble. I know it would be way more comfortable if it had some room to stretch out.

 

[Herefishyfishy]

The entire rock can be put with rubble and in time they will move on their own. You van also use a chisel to chip a bit of rock the foot is attached to.

 

[theJ]

Hmm, its been attached to the quarter sized piece of rock for about 4 months now, and not on rubble but on a rock of its own for that same time. It just keeps getting bigger and bigger, not attaching to anything. Its so big its weaving itself in and out of the holes of the piece of LR its on, but sucks itself back up into a ball on the same piece of rubble its been attached to this whole time. Severe case of separation anxiety?

 

[Herefishyfishy]

picture of it?

 

[theJ]

Heres a bad one, it doesn't really show its footing very well, I have a better one @ home I will send in tonight. I can grab a pic when its all closed up too so you can see how it is attached better. Also, it is -not- attached to the rock it is sitting on in that pic, its attached to a small chunk of rubble hidden under all that ric

 

[Herefishyfishy]

Nice Ric! If you prefer to have more Ric's in lieu of larger Ric's, with a sterile razer, slice between the mouths. It will heal up within a few days and they will be good as new.

 

[customanimalart]

Do you cut through those rics while they are attached to their present rock?? What are the chances that they will grow back together?

 

[Herefishyfishy]

Do you cut through those rics while they are attached to their present rock?? What are the chances that they will grow back together?

Either way is fine. Not much chance of growing back together.

 

[theJ]

Thanks Mike

As far as more rics, I want to give a couple out to some local members, so regarding the slices, are we talking about making pizza slices that i can hand out to others? Or slices meaning cut slits into the main body of the ric, but keeping the ric in tact, not removing whole slices/chunks?

 

[Herefishyfishy]

Many ways to do it, entirely up to your preference. Beings that they are photosynthetic, and assuming your water flow and quality is excellent, you can chop however your like. I am more of the lightest approach and prefer leaving whole mouths. Thus only cut in between multiple mouthed rics. This makes for a real short healing time.

 

[class clown]

I think it'd be a little riskier chopping it into several pizza slices vs. just one. I like Mike's idea of slicing between two mouths if you have any of those pieces.

I can't link you to the exact page b/c of the way the site is contructed, but if you go to http://www.garf.org/, and find "propogation" in the left hand navigation menu, you'll find some info on ricordias. Probably the best visual of this though is in the topic underneath propogation called "mushrooms (trevor)"

good luck!

 

[theJ]

thanks ben i'll take a look

 

[theJ]

mike,

water quality could use a bit of work, I will definitely wait until everything gets where its supposed to be (ca/alk mainly) before doing anything. The mouths are really close together, maybe by the time I get params up to where they should be the mouths will be further apart.

 

[theJ]

Found a shot of the ric growing underneath/into the rock its sitting on, and coming out a random hole next to it. Its not doing this anymore, but I thought it was neat Look to the bottom right of the ric. Thats right, look between the bubble algae :

 

[acrodesiac]

Pedal laceration without actually seperated the polyp into 2 pieces is the safest way. Start a cut at the mouth and slice out. I have done this with hairy mushrooms with much success.