Fragging leathers?

[i cant think]

I’m curious on how to do this, I’m planning on upping my leather count in my 4’ tank and so far have a (green?) Kenya tree. My question is, how do you guys frag leathers?
Specifically, toadstools, Kenya Trees or any tree ect…
I’m sure many of you will want to see a photo of my Kenya so here you go :)

 

[monkeyCmonkeyDo]

Pair of scissors.
D

 

[A Young Reefer]

Pair of scissors.
D

Yep can’t get any simpler than that!

 

[ReefRusty]

razor blade cut through and use a rubber band to hold to a piece of rock or a plug, obviously not to tight. try and avoid Gluing it.

 

[Fakegolfnews]

DISREGARD ANYONE TELLING YOU TO USE SCICCORS. They aren't clean or sharp, unless of course you are trying to stress the coral out and give it an infection.

If you're just making one or 2 cuts this is the best way. Take a non oiled new razor blade. Pinch the leather between the blade and the glass to make the cut inside the tank. Don't slice or tear or anything silly, just press the blade into the glass firmly, the frag will detach.

I do this with several leathers in a tank with no skimmer so don't listen to the people regurgitating leather chemical warfare fear mongering.

Get 2 flat frag tiles and a rubber band. Put the leather frag between the tiles and use the rubber band to make a clamp for the leather to sit in. Dont put it too tight, you shouldnt completely flatten the leather between the clamps, it should be keeping the tiles from touching. Also not so loose that it falls out, error on too loose tho, the leather will puff up in a few hours since you just made such a precise ninja cut and hardly disturbed it.

Put it somewhere low flow where it wont get knocked around. If you have sand stick the frag tiles in the sand vertically so it stays in place and have the leather frags at the top. (You can do several frags on one clamp but id reccomend 1 frag per clamp the first time, it can be tricky to get the right pressure on them all)

Wait at least 2 weeks, you will be tempted and it will look and may be ready, but don't touch it. If you are wrong and it's not ready the process basically starts over.

You can completely ignore anyone who tells you to use scissors, they have no idea what they're doing. You want a clean blade with no bacteria on it. Unless you wanna buy new scissors everytime haha. They aren't sharp tho, razors are the lowest stress. Not taking it out of the water is lowest stress. You can see what you're cutting in the water. When you take it out it shrivels up and you're basically cutting blind. Leathers also hate our hands so don't touch them. I literally just hold the rock the leather is on and pin the leather against the glass with the razor, I never touch it.

There is no reason to dip it if you use a new blade and don't touch it.

Do not attempt to use glue in this process for any reason lol. I repeat, for any reason. Actually, I dunno, it could be a great way to set the clamp instead of the rubber band. Somebody try that and let me know haha

 

[i cant think]

If it was something like a toadstool what would you cut? Would you cut just the top of it and it could grow from there or do you cut something like the base?

 

[RIC13]

I’ve produced over 60 leathers from one coral using scissors and glue without a single incident. I plan to continue to do it this way as long as the outcome remains overwhelmingly positive. I cut both the crown and the stalk.

 

[RIC13]

If it was something like a toadstool what would you cut? Would you cut just the top of it and it could grow from there or do you cut something like the base?

I cut both the crown and recently started cutting horizontally through the stalk. It all grows.

 

[i cant think]

I’ve produced over 60 leathers from one coral using scissors and glue without a single incident. I plan to continue to do it this way as long as the outcome remains overwhelmingly positive. I cut both the crown and the stalk.

thats interesting to hear, definitely looking forward to increasing my leather collection and getting frags of them!

 

[danieyella]

I don't use scissors because mine are grosssss and I don't trust them. But I just grab a fresh razor blade. I'm even lazier, I have an "acclimation box" full of rubble that I toss the cuts into and just let them attach on their own. Once everyone is attached well they come out of the box.

 

[doubleshot00]

Fakegolf is correct. I found this out the hard way. I was successful at gluing a Kenya Tree but it was a pita. Ive also seen people use thin fishing line and a needle to thread it through the part you want to attach it to the plug or rock. Ill try that way next time.

Also be prepared for the smell and use gloves unless you want your hands to smell for hours afterwards. Leathers are nasty.

 

[Dburr1014]

I use a razor, it is easier. But I not telling people that use scissors are wrong. :/

New razor, I always wash with soap to get any oil off. Be careful.

Leathers are easy. Personally, I take them out of the water. Cut them any way you want, they will grow. I use a rubber band and rock rubble to get them to attach.

 

[i cant think]

Out of curiousity, are there any leathers that are harder to cut than others? Whether that’s due to the toughness of the “stem” or the formation of the coral.

 

[Dburr1014]

Out of curiousity, are there any leathers that are harder to cut than others? Whether that’s due to the toughness of the “stem” or the formation of the coral.

I don't think any are harder than others. When you cut into them, they expel the water making them shrink. It literally is like cutting into leather.

 

[chadfish]

I’m curious on how to do this, I’m planning on upping my leather count in my 4’ tank and so far have a (green?) Kenya tree. My question is, how do you guys frag leathers?
Specifically, toadstools, Kenya Trees or any tree ect…
I’m sure many of you will want to see a photo of my Kenya so here you go :)

If you wait a little while the Kenya Tree will frag itself and spread around your tank on its own.

 

[chadfish]

I’m curious on how to do this, I’m planning on upping my leather count in my 4’ tank and so far have a (green?) Kenya tree. My question is, how do you guys frag leathers?
Specifically, toadstools, Kenya Trees or any tree ect…
I’m sure many of you will want to see a photo of my Kenya so here you go :)

Also, you should dip the frags and, if possible the mother in a iodine solution. Just get some tank water in a Tupperware and put in a squirt of iodine until it’s a tea color. Then dip for 5 min or so. This helps disinfect the cut area.

 

[i cant think]

Also, you should dip the frags and, if possible the mother in a iodine solution. Just get some tank water in a Tupperware and put in a squirt of iodine until it’s a tea color. Then dip for 5 min or so. This helps disinfect the cut area.

Thanks for the help! Definitely going to look into it.

If you wait a little while the Kenya Tree will frag itself and spread around your tank on its own.

It was mainly due to how I may want to eventually frag it off to sell it back to the LFS but also how I want to expand into leathers and wondered if fragging it was the same with any leather.

 

[A Young Reefer]

I’ve produced over 60 leathers from one coral using scissors and glue without a single incident. I plan to continue to do it this way as long as the outcome remains overwhelmingly positive. I cut both the crown and the stalk.

+1

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

If you frag in-tank and have any LPS or SPS in the tank, plan to run fresh carbon for 24-48 hours to remove toxins.

 

[Fakegolfnews]

If you frag in-tank and have any LPS or SPS in the tank, plan to run fresh carbon for 24-48 hours to remove toxins.

That's weird, I don't run carbon and have acros growing in here with no skimmer. Nothing cares when I cut leathers.