To Frag or not to Frag - Hammer with small head growing out.

BWV · Nov 22, 2021

I have a hammer with 4 really nice heads on top, and one little one growing out the side.

My first worry is that I don't want to damage any of them... so, I could just leave it be if that's healthiest for all.

My second worry, is that this little head is below and very shaded by the larger one above it, and could get weak, then sick, causing possible disease for the rest.

A desire I have, would be to have a small frag of this hammer elsewhere in my tank, as I really do like the look of it's sibling heads. SO, if it's better for the whole thing, and I get an extra hammer, I'm fine with "doing the work" .. but this is tertiary to the above concerns.

So, am I better just leaving it be and letting nature rule, letting it grow out more then revisiting later, or cutting off the frag in the interest of health, and enjoying another individual in the tank?

If I'm to cut it... I don't have a small band saw. Can I use my Dremel with the EZ-Lock fiber cutoff wheels (for metal) I use for everything? Or do I need a diamond wheel?
I also have a Dremel Oscillating cutter(I fear that might be too violent)

I got the pics best I could. The little head does look dark (almost necrotic) in some pics, but its not. Using a flashlight, it does look just fine, albeit stunted.
this coral is about 6" tall and maybe 5" wide all open.

Were I to cut it, I'd probably do like this... How close can you get to the flesh? Does it grow down inside of it? If so how far?

blaxsun · Nov 22, 2021

I usually let nature take its course.

mdb_talon · Nov 22, 2021

I would let it grow a bit more before fragging. They do grow a bit doen into the skeleton and the closer you cut the riskier it is. It also has a much higher survivability rate if it is a bit bigger.

Having said that though i think your approach of where to cut and using a dremel should work fine. I use a bandsaw which is handy but really the skeletons are not too tough to cut and any dremel wheel should work fine. Do not use things like bone cutters for euphyllia it causes skeleton to crack and much lower survivability

BWV · Nov 23, 2021

Thank you so much for the advice!

BWV · Dec 5, 2021

Well... the little polyp didn't look good. The flesh seemed to be coming off the skeleton a little and I wasn't sure what was next, I didn't want diseased tissue near healthy if it died, so I did it.
A week layer, it looks really good.
When he shrinks up at night, you can still see the edge of the skeleton.
Hoping it will be healthy now a make a new little base for itself.
The parent coral is fine and unaffected.
Here's how it went over the last week or so:

If anyone that doesn't have a coral bandsaw, and has never done this before, is wondering what that calcium skeleton is like... You can cut it with a fine hacksaw blade. You do need to be exceptionally gentle. The surface is kinda tough, but once the blade gets a bite into it, its like very hard pie crust almost... it kinda flakes and crumbles a little if you apply too much pressure. Very little pressure, with long smooth strokes seems to be the gentlest. If you try to press to hard, it will rip out flakes and chunks. Just go super easy and be patient. Tiny bites.