How do you frags corals if you can’t take your rocks out

[ReefWithCare]

Every video I see the coral has been pulled out of the tank. I’m wondering how this is done if you can’t pull your rocks out. As an example there are a number of aquascape tanks where the bottom has been glued down, on the wall, or just glued together making a massive piece that very difficult to pull unless the rock is broken apart.

How are people fragging if the main rock can’t be pulled?

 

[dbenenh0]

Subscribed for answers to this as well.

 

[Billldg]

Every video I see the coral has been pulled out of the tank. I’m wondering how this is done if you can’t pull your rocks out. As an example there are a number of aquascape tanks where the bottom has been glued down, on the wall, or just glued together making a massive piece that very difficult to pull unless the rock is broken apart.

How are people fragging if the main rock can’t be pulled?

I had thought about that same question and ended up doing my aqua scape without glue in case, still not looking forward to the day when I have to tear it apart to frag it to make room for more frags. Curious as to the answer also.

 

[Bj’s Reef]

This should be interesting.

 

[Jboulerice]

Depends on what you're trying to frag; Stoney corals are easy with bone cutters, everything else requires gloves; scalpels and a steady hand.

Zoas: I try and bone cut or cut the rock below the zoas feet. Careful to only frag and stress a few polyps out a day...
SPS: Trim with bone cutters or accidental breakage from just even tapping it...
Mushrooms: Good luck...

I tend to prefer leaving my frags to grow out on rubble rock and then attach the rubble rock... that way when things grow out its easier to move the entire colony than have everything encrust onto one solid rock.

 

[Dilan Patel]

I don't usually frag but when I do my Clown tang does it for me...Usually being very generous on the size of the frag lol. Just this past weekend he broke a nice multi branch 3in piece of forest fire digi lol.

When I frag SPS I use bone cutters or the thing that looks like it usually in a tool bag. I turn off all flow so it doesnt fall in a crack.

Zoas I use a razor blade and cut them off the surface and peel them back with tweezers.

hope this helps

 

[ReefWithCare]

I don't usually frag but when I do my Clown tang does it for me...Usually being very generous on the size of the frag lol. Just this past weekend he broke a nice multi branch 3in piece of forest fire digi lol.

When I frag SPS I use bone cutters or the thing that looks like it usually in a tool bag. I turn off all flow so it doesnt fall in a crack.

Zoas I use a razor blade and cut them off the surface and peel them back with tweezers.

hope this helps

This helps a little bit. I knew the SPS are probably the easiest to frag in tank because of their nature.

Zoas in tank I think that makes sense

What about LPS like say a branch hammer or acan?

Look like shrooms are near impossible in tank fragging [emoji29]

 

[Jboulerice]

This helps a little bit. I knew the SPS are probably the easiest to frag in tank because of their nature.

Zoas in tank I think that makes sense

What about LPS like say a branch hammer or acan?

Look like shrooms are near impossible in tank fragging [emoji29]

Branching coral can be popped with the bone cutters... Its amazing how useful they are, works well on candy canes, hammers etc. Just slowly chew away... and far from the actual flesh to avoid tearing...

Acans also can be cut with bone cutters. but its messy and you'll lose some tissue in the process... I prefer to leave acans and some others on the substrate, they multiply quickly and it makes fragging easy to just trim off the new growth over time.

If you have mushrooms that are clearly separated; hypothetically with skill you can use a scalpel to separate the foot tissue from the other shrooms; then cut into the rock below the foot and remove the isolated shroom.

I ALWAYS try to cut corals off the liverock and no the corals themselves. This helps tremendously because rocks are alot easier to glue to plugs than just tissue...

I would check youtube for tips on how to frag that specific coral in question... Its helpful to see what works outside of the tank first and then see if it can be applied under the water line...

Big help is making sure your circulation is off a few minutes in advanced. I also target feed my corals a day or two before to fatten them up...

 

[trustmeimalawyer]

For euphyllia I will use bone cutters. If its a difficult piece to frag I may take it out of the tank and remount. I use epoxy to mount most of my corals so while they keep them in place, they can pop off pretty easily and can go right back into the epoxy mold after I am done.

I try and keep zoas separate on a disc but on the off chance I need to frag a zoa off a rock, I will usually use a small flat head screwdriver and chisel around the piece.

All that being said, I don't think there is any one size fits all approach. Its not easy, at least IME

 

[trustmeimalawyer]

For euphyllia I will use bone cutters. If its a difficult piece to frag I may take it out of the tank and remount. I use epoxy to mount most of my corals so while they keep them in place, they can pop off pretty easily and can go right back into the epoxy mold after I am done.

I try and keep zoas separate on a disc but on the off chance I need to frag a zoa off a rock, I will usually use a small flat head screwdriver and chisel around the piece.

All that being said, I don't think there is any one size fits all approach. Its not easy, at least IME