How to cut the shrooms?

[ntswift]

I've been reading on how to cut ricordea up so that i can transfer them to another tank and I have a few questions. First when you cut it into forths, do I cut it all the way down to the base where the rock is or do i just cut the disk? After it is cut how do i get it off the rock? Do I just cut it off the rock too? If anyone has any tips to make this a little easier I'd appreciate it! This is my first attempt at this and dont want to mess up. TIA!

 

[fishfreek]

I have not done this but I would expect the best thing to do would be to get it off the rock first. You can do this by gently 'tickling' the base of the foot of the mushroom eithe with your fingers or with the blunt end of a razor blade. Once the mushroom has released you can take it out and keep it moist while you cut it in fourths. Then put each forth on a rock and losly hold it down to the rock with wedding veil until it attaches.

 

[ntswift]

So I should pull it out of the water to cut it? Once its cut, do i have to dip it in iodine or anything?

 

[Brenden]

Keep it in a small cup/bucket of water until you are ready to cut. Pull it out cut and put it back in the cup. Get the rock and material ready then pull them back out of the water to place on rock and wrap with veil material. I have never cut mine. I have so many I usually frag them whole just to get rid of them. Discard the water in the cup. It will be nasty after they slime in it.

 

[ntswift]

Too bad you're not closer, I'd pick some up from you! I'm just trying to get them started. I just got some from saltwaterfish.com and i ordered 3 single shrooms and instead they gave me them all together on a rock. I ordered them to be seperate because i went half on the shipping with my friend that wanted some too.

 

[Brenden]

I just looked back at your original post and realized you are talking about ricordea and not actinodiscus. The same method will work but I would only cut in half and not quarters. Ricordea are not as hardy with this procedure as other mushrooms. They need to be in optimal health before you try it. Since they where just shipped I would let them establish themselves first since they will be stressed from the trip. Worst case break the rock so both of you still have some. I normally let my ricordea split on their own.

 

[ntswift]

Cool, then I'll just give them some time first before i split them. They look really good but I'll still wait a little bit. As far as breaking the rock goes, its a little too small to break and plus the shrooms (4) are covering the top of it. It'd be hard to break it with out hurting them.

 

[Brenden]

Get some of the cheap plastic box cutters with the snap off blades . They have 4packs of them at the dollar stores. Place the knife on the rock where you want it broke and tap it with a small hammer, screwdriver etc. Works like a champ every time.

 

[ntswift]

The blade won't break? Will a screwdriver work to chisel it in half?