Fragging and mounting cyphastrea help

[daikaijureefer]

Hi All, I have this cyphastrea that is doing really well. It’s doing so well, it has encased the entire frag plug. I’m ready to mount it and my goal is to cut the frag plug at the base and mount it to a rock.

This is my first cyphastrea. I have experience with mounting other sps. I’d like to get away with as little damage to the coral as possible, however since it’s fully encrusted the frag plug I’m unsure where to start.

It will be mounted to a single rock in the sand so that it won’t encrust onto the other rocks.

Here’s a photo of the coral in question:




You can see that it has polyps on the entirety of the frag plug.

I’d like to get just the “disc” part of the plug mounted to the rock and save the “stem” part when cut off and mount to another plug to grow out if possible.

How would you go about cutting and mounting the main disc part without losing a lot of tissue? This is a new concept to me and I really don’t want to harm the coral so any help is much appreciated!

 

[ShakeyGizzard]

First thought is better get it out of the frag holder, it may be to big to come out. Cutting it with bone cutters may not do to much damage, cutting with a band saw would be best . possibly one of the handheld cutters would work if you can keep the frag from getting hot when cutting it.

edit: the rock on the sand will keep it from covering everything

 

[daikaijureefer]

I have some bone cutters. No band saw.

Yeah I hope it’s not stuck in there. That’s why I wanna get it on the rock soon.

 

[Ef4life]

Id just break it up into multiple pieces with bone cutters and glue them to the rock. If your tank is doing well It will encrust quickly

 

[daikaijureefer]

Id just break it up into multiple pieces with bone cutters and glue them to the rock. If your tank is doing well It will encrust quickly

I guess what I’m concerned about is even after I cut the stem off, when I go to glue it on the rock, there will still be exposed tissue on the underside of the “disc” that will get covered or glued to the rock.

Should I just not worry about damaging that part? The remaining coral should just heal and be ok?

 

[areefer01]

Should I just not worry about damaging that part? The remaining coral should just heal and be ok?

You are overthinking it a tiny bit. No need to go in with afterburner but just see if you can lift it out. If not, use the bone cutters and clip it like you would be pruning a shrub or bush or flower. Assess the frag, rack, and then make a best guess/judgement and cut it.

Hopefully you found the placement location ahead of time. If not do that first. That way you can just get it all done at the same time without getting your hands in the tank multiple times.

 

[daikaijureefer]

Should I just not worry about damaging that part? The remaining coral should just heal and be ok?

You are overthinking it a tiny bit. No need to go in with afterburner but just see if you can lift it out. If not, use the bone cutters and clip it like you would be pruning a shrub or bush or flower. Assess the frag, rack, and then make a best guess/judgement and cut it.

Hopefully you found the placement location ahead of time. If not do that first. That way you can just get it all done at the same time without getting your hands in the tank multiple times.

You’re right, I am overthinking it (I’m really good at that until I try it for the first time lol) Thank you, it’s helping my confidence with this frag. I keep putting it off because I haven’t felt super comfortable with cutting this one, and this helps a lot. I do have the spot picked out.

 

[areefer01]

You’re right, I am overthinking it (I’m really good at that until I try it for the first time lol) Thank you, it’s helping my confidence with this frag. I keep putting it off because I haven’t felt super comfortable with cutting this one, and this helps a lot. I do have the spot picked out.

I'm not sure if this is the first time fragging or doing something like this so I get it. I do. I guess my thought was that even if you mess it up you really can't do much harm as you are only cutting the lower part of the frag. You can still superglue or epoxy the base of the frag or disk part. Anything left you can try to save by mounting in urchin save places. Or glue them to rock.

I have grown a couple of acropora colonies from tiny pieces that I have broken off. Corals are pretty resilient. Think of your work as a storm with giant waves breaking up the reef...

If it helps - put on some calm music ;)

 

[daikaijureefer]

You’re right, I am overthinking it (I’m really good at that until I try it for the first time lol) Thank you, it’s helping my confidence with this frag. I keep putting it off because I haven’t felt super comfortable with cutting this one, and this helps a lot. I do have the spot picked out.

I'm not sure if this is the first time fragging or doing something like this so I get it. I do. I guess my thought was that even if you mess it up you really can't do much harm as you are only cutting the lower part of the frag. You can still superglue or epoxy the base of the frag or disk part. Anything left you can try to save by mounting in urchin save places. Or glue them to rock.

I have grown a couple of acropora colonies from tiny pieces that I have broken off. Corals are pretty resilient. Think of your work as a storm with giant waves breaking up the reef...

If it helps - put on some calm music ;)

My experience fragging sps is with birdsnest and monti type corals. Never had an issue with those. I was having a hard time wrapping my head around the structure of the cyphastrea and cutting into it. I think I’ve got it now.

As for calming music- been listening to Cal Tjader all day. I guess I could put that on when I’m cutting or who knows maybe I need to feel more stabby and I’ll put on some punk. lol. We’ll see. Thanks for the suggestions!

 

[buruskeee]

If you want it to encrust and take the shape of something, just cut off the stem and use the flat disc to mount it so it’s not a huge bulge. Also mount the disc portion away from view so it will encrust over and really take the shape of what you’re trying to encrust.

BTW, Cyphastrea is an LPS.

 

[daikaijureefer]

LPS- ahh that makes sense. I actually did not know that until you told me. I guess I have a mixed reef now lol.

 

[daikaijureefer]

Update: cyphastrea mounted on the rock, it hasn’t skipped a beat and is encrusting nicely.

The frag plug bottom that I cut off was mounted on another plug and it’s already covered it. Gonna have to find a home for this as I don’t have any other isolated rocks I want to add it to.