How do you prepare corals do be added to your tank?

[fishy_fishy_fish]

Getting ready to add my first corals, was wondering what the best way to add them is. I don't have a QT tank so that is not an option, but I was wondering about dips or whatever your protocol is? The coral tanks from my LFS have easily visible aiptasia, sometimes on the frag itself. I want to be careful about introducing that or other problems to my tank while also giving the coral the best odds of being acclimatized and doing well.

First corals will be mushrooms, either Ricordea or rhodactis. Rock flower anemones will be next, then planning on a Duncan, a Kenya tree, zoas, toadstool. At least that's the current plan.

How would you add them to your tank?

Thanks!

 

[20gallonreefer000]

-Float coral for 15-30 mins
-Open bag and check salinity(if significantly different, you can add water to bag until levels are close)
-Dip coral
-Dip into separate container of tank water quickly
-Inspect coral plug and coral
-Take coral off plug if you want to be safe but it's not necessary
-Add to tank

 

[fishy_fishy_fish]

-Float coral for 15-30 mins
-Open bag and check salinity(if significantly different, you can add water to bag until levels are close)
-Dip coral
-Dip into separate container of tank water quickly
-Inspect coral plug and coral
-Take coral off plug if you want to be safe but it's not necessary
-Add to tank

What coral dip do you recommend? And what do you use to cut plugs? I don’t want to kill the coral by trying to remove it entirely and failing but I would like to at least make the plugs smaller so they can fit better

 

[20gallonreefer000]

Two little fishes "revive" is good. You can use bone cutters or something similar to cut the plug, even strong scissors can work. You don't have to get rid of the whole plug, you can just get rid of the stock and trim around the coral on the plug. Doesn't have to be perfect.

 

[fishy_fishy_fish]

Two little fishes "revive" is good. You can use bone cutters or something similar to cut the plug, even strong scissors can work. You don't have to get rid of the whole plug, you can just get rid of the stock and trim around the coral on the plug. Doesn't have to be perfect.

That’s how I was planning on cutting them, and I’ll look into the two little fishies. Do you do anything differently for something like rock flower anemones?

 

[20gallonreefer000]

Don't dip anemones just inspect the rock or whatever it comes on

 

[fishy_fishy_fish]

Don't dip anemones just inspect the rock or whatever it comes on

Okay, thank you for the good advice!

 

[20gallonreefer000]

Okay, thank you for the good advice!

No worries

 

[fishy_fishy_fish]

No worries

So I followed everything you said and it seems to have gone well. Fascinating how as soon as the coral hits the dip all of these tiny little creatures come out of it.

I just wanted to follow up though, how does one go about removing the coral from the frag itself? I don’t have access to power tools as I know some people cut the frag, but the whole plug looks a little too big on the rock work. Is removing the coral from the frag without tools like that possible and what kinda risks are there for the coral, if you or anybody have experience with that?

Thanks!

 

[13rodo]

So I followed everything you said and it seems to have gone well. Fascinating how as soon as the coral hits the dip all of these tiny little creatures come out of it.

I just wanted to follow up though, how does one go about removing the coral from the frag itself? I don’t have access to power tools as I know some people cut the frag, but the whole plug looks a little too big on the rock work. Is removing the coral from the frag without tools like that possible and what kinda risks are there for the coral, if you or anybody have experience with that?

Thanks!

Is the coral on a bit of rock that is glued to plug or on the plug directly?

If it’s on a bit of rock, you can use boner cutters, needle nose pliers, etc to pop that rock off the plug. Just be careful not to snip the coral.

If it’s attached to the plug directly, you can use bone cutters to just trim back the visible portions of the disk and make it look not so round. Then you can snap off the stem of the plug and it’s like a rock. I actually like this way a bit better personally because I get more surface to glue and it isn’t round.

Just be careful of the actual coral. If either of these seems risky just don’t do it. Better to have a round plug than a dead coral.