Poll: coral fragging and propagating

mal

mal

Member
Anyone out there be interested in posting what corals they fragged / propped.
1. What it was
2. How you did it
3. What materials you used, glue, zip ties, cheese cloth etc.
4. Re-attachment to lr etc.
5. outcome, problems, thing you'll do different next time etc.
Maybe it could be it's own forum, or a stickey in the reef section or FAQ section? What do you all think?
I think this would be very helpful to everyone. I know I have posted several questions in the past regarding this, and have seen several posts lately. Good way to share good idea's, and a way to steer clear of not so good ones. I know I've had my share of humble pie in this hobby. ;)
 
fishfreek

fishfreek

Active Member
I think it would be a great idea to have a fragging forum. I'm always looking for new and better tecniques. It would be nice tohave a place of reference on this board. :)
I just fragged some pumping xenias for the first time last week. I just took some small pieces of LR(2"x2" or so) set it next to the base of the stalk, just so its touching it. In a few days the xenia will "walk" on to the new to the new rock. I have found that about 1/2 the time they will even split, and part of the stalk will remain on the original rock giving you two complete corals. To me this is the easiest way to frag this coral. I have tried cutting a stalk off with a new razor blade and super gluing it to LR but i found that xenias were rather slimy and difficult to work with. The super glued frag also didn't want to stick to the LR. I found it floating around after twelve hours.
 
whipple

whipple

Member
Hey A new forum !!!!! Great idea need help with that tried twice and out come was sad at best---- Adrian can you push the idea?
 
adrian

adrian

Active Member
I'll see what I can do ;) Opinions from other members would help, the board will need to see a good deal of interest before they will think about going through with it...
 
predator

predator

Active Member
I'v fragged my colts a few times with great sucess. Just used a straight razor. Then used super glue to attach them to a rock.
I fragged my branching hammer with my hands. When I bought it was huge. When opened it was almost a perfect circle, And was evry bit of 13 or 14 inches in diameter. I broke off three pieces that were probably 3 to 4in around and still had the main piece as well. I gave a few away to my friends and kept a small frog and the mother piece.
 
kris walker

kris walker

Active Member
I thirded a small mushroom after slicing it off its baserock with razor. Tried the glue thing with no success. Tried placing it on a big piece of LR, and covered the LR with a thin piece of saran wrap...didn't work. Finally, I put all 3 chunks into a specimen container onto a half of a shell. In one week, 2 of the 3 attached to its shell. Still waiting for the other one to attach.
I think a fragging forum would be really neat, but should be restricted to only fragging questions/solutions. It would only serve to separate those fragging questions that woudl be posted here from all the other reef posts, which would make it easier for people to seek out info rather than using the reef search.
sam
 
kelly

kelly

Member
I have done a gorgonian, and Xenia, the Xenias are pretty simple as stated by fishfreek. The gorgonian has already covered the super glue.
 
alianated

alianated

Member
As far as Xenia fragging goes. I had a couple Xenia from a GREAT guy named Adrian. ;) I am too intimidated by using blades on my stuff, so I just tried making THEM choose to split.
Once my stalks got pretty thick at the base and were healthy. All I did was (like fish freak) put a few peices of LR near them and I even got creative and put a snail shell RIGHT near the base of one.
It worked, but rather slowly. I then purchased a small power head that was small enough not to stir everything insane, but strong enough to affect the xenia area. This sped up the process of them moving along on their own really well. Within a couple weeks I had 4 extra stalks on seperate rock. Two of these stalks have been imported over to the 100gallon now.
I have also managed to have my mushrooms and yellow stars jump rocks too. With my yellow stars, I just fed them well. (Yes, they will actually eat brine, mysis, etc) Its REALLY tedious, because you need an eyedropper to make sure they get some and you have to do it slow enough and far enough that you dont make em retract before getting food. But a small rock that a REALLY good friend gave me has filled up and now is jumping off his little LR and onto my main base LR. (On my site is a picture of the Yellow rock. I have already taken new pics of it, and the ones that jumped, but am still working on the site itself)
Finally, I haven't fragged shrooms, but they split often enough on their own. Something that I have been taught, is that if you every want to make a rock with multiple shroom colors, you can put a peice of dead rock (its cheaper and usually much flatter for the purpose) under a colony. Then really often you can take a toothpick and just poke a mushroom - not to hurt it, but to annoy it.. Do it often, but not so often that he doesnt get a good 6 hours of light during a day. It doesnt take long before they get irritated and jump ship off their rock. Eventually you can have 1 rock with multiple colored shrooms, instead of what you often get in the store, big peices of rock with 3 or 5 same colored shrooms.
I have 2 rocks that are just COVERED in different colors. From blues to reds, and everything else. One I did myself, and one that a LFS owner here in sac did with me when he taught me. Naturally the one we did together is MUCH more colorful and fuller. But they are both gorgeous.
 
davidcanupp

davidcanupp

Member
I agree, a frag forum is a great idea and proves successful on other forums. It is a great way to save money, and it is an extremely important aspect of saving our coral reefs. If we hobbyists can successfully grow new coral specimens in captivity, it may be possible to replenish struggling reefs in the ocean. So, not only is it cool, it is IMPORTANT that we all learn how to do this. -David
 
hondo

hondo

Member
sounds like a great idea especially for those of us new to corals. I have only been doing corals for 6 months now and have yet to find the courage to put the knife to a coral I work my butt off trying to keep healthy.
 
predator

predator

Active Member
Davidcanupp, I'm not to terriably far from you. I'v got some nice frags if you would be willing to trade.
I found a store that sells almost nothing but frags.Nice store.
 
whipple

whipple

Member
Hey Adrian looks like there was a section on corals and was dropped!!! Any info on that ? <img src="confused.gif" border="0">
 
mal

mal

Member
This would be a good idea for beginners and experienced. NM reef (sorry man, you're the only example I could think of) had a problem with one of his corals a while ago, he had to basically frag it to save it. It would be nice to have a forum where information like this could help save someones coral, fragging off healthy parts and saving it rather than watching it die. It would also teach a bit about corals behavior and reactions to methods of fragging and keeping.
I also wanted to bump it, Adrian said we needed a good response before it would be considered. :D
 
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