Pesky Ricordia

[MKramer]

I have a rather large ricordia that came as a hitchhiker on a $5 almost-dead candycane coral. It's now large enoguh that it's touching a bunch of the candy cane heads, and they've closed up, either partially or fully. I'd like to move the mushroom to prevent any further damage.

 

Can I just use a razor blade to scrape its base off the trumpet coral skeleton? What's the best way to re-attach it to another rock?

 

Thanks,

Matthew

[lizbeth]

Yes. Superglue gel.

 

They're not pesky they're wonderful!

[Palmetto]

Actually, Ricordeas (and other mushrooms) absolutely hate cyanacrolate glue, and will react by sliming badly. The usually goo away at the contact point, and float away to who knows where.

 

When farming Ricordeas, I slice the cap off cleanly using a new, unused razor blade. Then, I usually slice the cap into two pieces and place them on some gravel in a low-current area (I actually keep several tanks full of tupperware bowls containing crushed coral that gives them something easy to attach to). I have cut them into as many as 8 pieces, but you usually lose some this way and end up with specimens that are very small and take too long to grow out.

 

They will usually grab on to a piece of coral within a couple of days, sometimes overnight. I allow them to hold on for a couple of weeks to insure a tight grip, then you may superglue the small piece of rock to whatever you want to without allowing the glue to touch the animal.

 

I have found this to be the best method for me after a lot of trial and error at reproducing this wonderful and high-demand creature. I have used it on even the most expensive rare Ricordea brood stock.

 

The cuttings can also be LOOSELY held in place with bridal veil, although if it is too tight it can cause a slimeout reaction that can cause total loss. Restricting mushrooms in any way has this potential, and when cutting some rare exotic species the risk is just too great. The key to avoiding the slimeout is to keep some current moving around them without blowing them away. (thus, the small bowls)

 

Oh, BTW, the original stem becomes a new baby. (that can be cut from again later!)