Fraging Techniques for SPS

[Leicobra]

Hello reefers, I have a boring question to ask. What fraging technics do you use. Reason why I ask is that sometimes when we frag our sps with cutters often they either breaks apart and fall in the rocks which we can’t find.
Can you share some experience and tips when you frag them?
Acropora, motipora.

 

[29bonsaireef]

If you can take the coral out of water a Dremel works well, or cut bigger frags so you don't lose them.

 

[Leicobra]

Most of the coral are encrusted onto the rock. I like the idea of cutting bigger frags though. :-)

 

[DesertReefT4r]

Hold onto the frag you are cutting off so you dont drop it.

 

[acro-ed]

I use mini-diagonal cutting pliers (aka "sidecutters"). The idea is to NOT try and chomp through the coral but to grab the branch and then rotate the cutting pliers so that the frag snaps off. If you get your technique right the frag will stay held in place in the pliers and your cut/snap would be just below where you grabbed it. This gives a nice clean break and the mother colony will heal quickly over the snapped edge. Hope that helps.

-Ed

 

[jda]

I frag them with my hands if I can. That way, I have a grip.

Turn all of the pumps off if you don't want them jettisoned behind the rocks.

When using cutters, try and grab and snap too, rather than crunch through it. Most of the time, this will leave the frag attached to the cutters.

 

[Viking_Reefing]

Dose accidentally bumping in to them and knocking off a pice count? [emoji1]

I’ve mostly used my hands if possible and if not, bonecutters.

 

[DarkSky]

Bone cutter, but get a grip on the acro then snap instead of cut through. I use my other hand to grab the frag so it doesn't drop into the rock work.

 

[Charlie’s Frags]

Careful when using a dremel. I was cutting some palys and monti’s last week without a face shield and got some kind of toxin all over my neck and lower face from the saw debris. Thank god I was wearing safety goggles. The next day I had pustules all over those areas. I’m on my 7th day of prednisone and topical steroid.

 

[Leicobra]

I frag them with my hands if I can. That way, I have a grip.

Turn all of the pumps off if you don't want them jettisoned behind the rocks.

When using cutters, try and grab and snap too, rather than crunch through it. Most of the time, this will leave the frag attached to the cutters.

I will start to practice on the snap part. You are right, most of the time I just crunch through it.

 

[Leicobra]

Wow, thanks for the warning
Hope you get well soon!

 

[Leicobra]

Dose accidentally bumping in to them and knocking off a pice count? [emoji1]

I’ve mostly used my hands if possible and if not, bonecutters.

I have knocked off so many coral in the past 15 years.