Fragging a bubble coral

[Vinman]

For about a month now

Wow ....nice give it time ...you'll see results

 

[TripleTruble]

Yeah I think they are really cool piece for a tank. Mine is sitting in the corner so he has a lot of space

 

[TripleTruble]

Hoping by the time he gets too big I am ready for my upgrade tank. I am keeping my urgent one also cuz it looks really cool in the bedroom

 

[Vinman]

You are in Bradenton? Your Profile says Ft. Pierce..

Wondering if you were in Bradenton fl? I travel to the Alafaya River often if you're close to there

 

[Vinman]

Hoping by the time he gets too big I am ready for my upgrade tank. I am keeping my urgent one also cuz it looks really cool in the bedroom

Went to an upgrade however my interests have gone towards sticks but I will be keeping one hopefully to grow to that size again I went from a 90 in my new tank is of 180

 

[TripleTruble]

Yeah I like sticks but tank is too new to go nuts on them currently. But I like my acans and blastos too

 

[Cristy17]

Wondering if you were in Bradenton fl? I travel to the Alafaya River often if you're close to there

I had to look it up. I have only lived in Florida since Jan 2018. I am about 40 min. from Alafaya River according to Google maps. Do you know how much you will be asking for the bubble corals?

 

[Vinman]

I had to look it up. I have only lived in Florida since Jan 2018. I am about 40 min. from Alafaya River according to Google maps. Do you know how much you will be asking for the bubble corals?

I'll let you know...I'll try local p/u first ...may be going to alafaya for Memorial Day weekend I'll keep you posted

 

[Conrad Noto]

So my bubble has reached its limit and it needs to be fragged. It's not branching and too big for my lfs bandsaw. I could put the wheel on it but would like to heard some opinions or if you have experience please opine. First pic is when I got it second is now. Three yrs of growth and now burning across around it. Thanks for commenting.

Stumped me, never saw those fragged. Does it have multiple mouth in there? lol I'd look up the internal workings to know where to cut or sell for big bucks, buy another small one and have extra cash for other corals.

 

[Vinman]

Stumped me, never saw those fragged. Does it have multiple mouth in there? lol I'd look up the internal workings to know where to cut or sell for big bucks, buy another small one and have extra cash for other corals.

Yes I was really reluctant cut it but I had no choice it is taking up a lot of Real Estate so I got the wheel out and started cutting but everything has gone well didn't lose a single frag. It does have multiple mouths but I wasn't cutting according to the mouths I was cutting according to skeletal structure and I guess it worked out so far

 

[Cristy17]

I'll let you know...I'll try local p/u first ...may be going to alafaya for Memorial Day weekend I'll keep you posted

Sounds good! Yes , please let me know!

 

[Vinman]

Also will be cutting my 16 year old frog spawn soon...moving into a 180 and keeping only a little of everything from the 90

 

[John08007]

You do anything other than the norm to get them that large? I dose ca, alk, mg to keep them steady and feed reefroids every few days with baster. Seems like my zoa, hammers, monti are taking off since i started with the roids.

 

[MentalNote]

Thanks for this write-up @Vinman ! I've got a bubble that grew to the size of a volleyball when fully inflated and has taken a lot of real estate up. I've thought to frag it many times, but have been afraid since I could never find a write-up like this specific to bubble corals.

 

[Vinman]

Thanks for this write-up @Vinman ! I've got a bubble that grew to the size of a volleyball when fully inflated and has taken a lot of real estate up. I've thought to frag it many times, but have been afraid since I could never find a write-up like this specific to bubble corals.

So be sure to have an iodine solution after cutting...I think that is what helped alot. Also didn't try to make small frags...just looked at skeletal structure and then made my cuts

 

[Vinman]

You do anything other than the norm to get them that large? I dose ca, alk, mg to keep them steady and feed reefroids every few days with baster. Seems like my zoa, hammers, monti are taking off since i started with the roids.

To be honest I dose calcium and alkalinity and that's about it I feed my fish every night.

 

[MentalNote]

Ok here's what I've found works.. it's slow but high chance of success.

First prep the coral by placing rubber bands over the flesh where you plan to cut between heads. The goal here is to make the coral precut the flesh more natural by killing off the area under the band so you don't have to cut through flesh. You then place it back in the tank banded up. After a few days to a week you should see a split starting. Once that's done you can make the coral retract and cut as much as you can with a rotary tool with diamond wheel. I like the extension they make for the auctual Dremel brand tool as I find I have more control but it's not necessary. Once your most of the way through if the bit dosent reach 100% you can usually snap it by hand or carefully tap with a chisel or flathead screwdriver. After everything is fragged I do a quick iodine dip and place in the tank for healing. I personally think by not auctually cutting the flesh and forcing the coral to split itself a bit first there seems to be less of a risk, it makes the process more like fragging a branching coral.

TJDSEKULA,

How does the bubble coral react with the rubber band? Does it act ticked off and not fully inflate? I ask because mine has been upset for the past month. It is basically self splitting at the base of a Y. The tissue was overstretched between two stems and now there is a hole. I'm hoping it will fully recover but I may need to emergency frag it.

Here is a picture from February when it was happy.

 

[MentalNote]

So be sure to have an iodine solution after cutting...I think that is what helped a lot. Also didn't try to make small frags...just looked at skeletal structure and then made my cuts

Thanks. I've considering an iodine dip with the current situation too. Unfortunately, the bubble is basically cemented to the 20" Tonga branch and I cannot pull or pry it off (I've tried).

 

[Vinman]

TJDSEKULA,

How does the bubble coral react with the rubber band? Does it act ****** off and not fully inflate? I ask because mine has been upset for the past month. It is basically self splitting at the base of a Y. The tissue was overstretched between two stems and now there is a hole. I'm hoping it will fully recover but I may need to emergency frag it.

Here is a picture from February when it was happy.

Yes I read your recommendation earlier in this thread. I just couldn't remove the coral to apply the rubber bands. I think it's a great idea if you can get to it and add the rubber bands and put it back with no issue. Just wasn't the case with this one

 

[Vinman]

Thanks. I've considering an iodine dip with the current situation too. Unfortunately, the bubble is basically cemented to the 20" Tonga branch and I cannot pull or pry it off (I've tried).

Mine too...I had to use a flat head screwdriver to break it off the rock. I have a pair of lightning maroons that are mad at me cuz they hosted the bubble. Tried to catch them but that's s different thread lol