Where to place frag

Well...it probably wouldn't be considered a frag, so I apologize if this is in the wrong forum, but I think it kinda applies here because it could just as easily be a frag as opposed to a smaller piece of live rock.

Without further ado...I bought a rock with about 5 polyps of blue mushrooms on them and I would love it if they eventually spread off the rock and onto my bigger rocks in the display. Because of the way the rock was cut, it is kinda unsightly, kinda like a brick with 1.5 inch tall sheer faces on all sides. This makes me not really want to glue it onto my live rock in the display, so I have it kinda buried in the sand next to a large piece of rock. Will it eventually spread off or is the fact that it's in the sand inhibiting its growth?

In general is it a good idea to glue rocks that you buy with corals on them to existing pieces of rock? I was a bit worried what would happen if some coral spread off the rock you had bought it on, and onto new rock and then the original piece fell off...probably injuring or tearing the coral. I guess when individual polyps spread it wouldn't be much of a problem because the two could exist apart, but if you had something that was interconnected and the colony got torn in half by a base rock falling off it could be pretty bad, right? What are everyone's thoughts on whether to glue or not glue?

 

Most shrooms can't move on their own, I would not glue it to anything, but have the piece very near or on another rock, you will realize that your missing a shroom, he floated away and settled somewhere else... be patient, they may like where their at too.

 

I would keep it in the sand. Mushrooms spread very quickly and you would soon be overrun with them. Keep it isolated.

 

most people start frags low, no matter what it is to get used to your lighting. you can move it up as you see fit. If you want it to spread to certain rocks, place near certain rocks. I wouldn't glue the frag, I would just place it so it can't fall. It will attach once the mushrooms spread.

 

Ok, interesting, didn't realize they would detach and move. Thanks for the advice everyone.

 

I also found that interesting. I have never had any of my shrooms move. They stay on the frags they come with or have babies. I don't believe they have a foot that moves. That's news to me. Maybe its only certain types of shrooms?

 

Maybe its similar to how a kenya tree reproduces? A part of it (maybe a single mushroom) detaches and floats in the current until settling somewhere.

 

my shroom has moved about 4 inches from where i put it in the tank and has detatched from the rock i baught it on, it has followed up the rock wall headed for the lights,
i have noticed alot of corals will attach them selfs to anything they are resting against, its been a good way for me to get coral onto my larger rocks from the little rocks they come on which always fall over!!!

 

lol then you have kenya trees everywhere, mine has spread thru my rock to the point were I cant remove it anymore without taken my aquascape apart. It looks good but scared when it starts to get massive and its well on it way to doign that.

 

Yup, pretty much. I call mushrooms "tank roaches."