Best way to separate fuzzy mushrooms?

[PeeperKeeper]

I'm wanting to make some extra room in my tank for some SPS now that I'm getting MH lighting. I have several big swaths of fuzzy shrooms that I wouldn't mind thinning out and I thought I could sell some of them or trade them here to offset some of the cost of the new corals.

What is the best way to get them off the rocks and the best way to attach them to something else so the person who gets them won't have to worry about them floating all over the tank?

Should I just get some small limestone rocks (cleaned well) or should I get some of those little plates that the frags come attached to at the fish stores?

How do I secure them to the rock I want them to attach to and how long does it take?

I also might do the same with some zoas. I think I read in a different post something about eye protection? As an optometrist, that's right up my alley, but I'm not sure what the protection is from. Do the zoas squirt at you?

Any suggestions are welcome!

Here's a pic of my tank just to make this post more interesting. The fuzzies are over on the right side, although I have several patches of them. Sorry about the bad pic. Hard to take pics of the tank without getting reflections from the window.

[Zarathustra2]

I personally use a pair of surgical scissors and a hemostat. If you go down to aquatec they have them there in the "soft coral prop kit." Also available from BulkReefSupply which has a group order going on right now. Lift up the shroom with the hemostat and cut close to the base with the scissors. I'll usually cut the cap into 1/4s and put it in a floating fish breeder with live rock rubble covering the bottom. You will want to do all of this in a seperate bucket of aquarium water. I also will usually have a temp holding tank with lugols dosed to sit them in for about 10 minutes before putting into the main tank to help with infection and to wash away slime. Should attach on it's own after about 2-3 days.

[Truckin]

Anthony Calfo, in his book, Coral Propagation, on page 251 starts a discussion of Palytoxins in Zoanthids (genera: Zoanthus, Palythoa & Protopalythoa). He discusses his three poisoning experiences - one from wiping a towel across his face and lips. He recommends protective eyewear, gloves and keep your mouth shut while handling toxic species. How do you know which are toxic? Be safe with all of them. Apparently, some toxins could be fatal.

[caferacermike]

I would get a small chisel and a small hammer. I'd take the piece of rock from the tank and place the chisel point just under the mushroom. With a light tap of the hammer the rock will let loose a small piece and your mushroom will already be mounted. No need to leave a piece behind when you cut it with a razor or scissors, as that piece will certainly grow back into a new mushroom if not 8. My understanding from your post is that that would not be ideal to your wanting new corals species that will not get along with an old mushroom. Also there will not be any need to allow them to heal in a separate tank or another area of the tank.

[mikedelgado]

I would just sell/trade the rock that they are on and replace the rock with a shroom free rock. they look nice and healthy by the way

[PeeperKeeper]

Actually, I like the fuzzy shrooms and the rocks they're on, there's just a little too many, and I thought I could offset the cost of the SPS I want by selling a few frags of what I do have. Most of them are on a large rock I'd rather not replace, but maybe the ones on a smaller rock could just be traded.