fragging question

[pandafishowner]

the pagoda coral we bought last month is doing great. was thinking of maybe trying to frag it next month, but we've never actually fragged anything like it, so could you tell me how to do it? we'll likely use either really small pieces of live rock or frag discs to mount them. any advice appreciated :)

[Matt]

There are two corals commonly known as pagoda, the tubipora, aka "pipe organ", and the tubinaria or "cup" coral. Fragging would be a bit different... which one do you have?

[pandafishowner]

this is a picture of it.

http://i135.photobucket.com/albums/q157/pandafishowner/100_0582.jpg

[Snappy]

Can you post a picture with the polyps retracted? Is it encrusted on a rock? If it is what I think it is you can use a dremel or chisel or hacksaw.

[pandafishowner]

you mean when it's closed up? is that what you mean by retracted? if so, I definitely can. and yes, it's on a rock. it's got approx a 1.5 inch or so leg that is attached to the rock. i'll get another picture or two tonight.

[pandafishowner]

ok, i hope these two pictures help. it was starting to close for the night so i snapped a few pics.

http://i135.photobucket.com/albums/q157/pandafishowner/pagoda002.jpg

http://i135.photobucket.com/albums/q157/pandafishowner/pagoda003.jpg

[pandafishowner]

any idea how it can be done?? :smile:

[AndyL]

That's a Turbinaria, very easily fragged...

Borneman and Calfo claim all that is needed is a wall/floor you don't mind made a mess of (i.e. throw it against the wall pickup up fragments return to tank). I'd be a little nicer, and go after it with a dremel and a diamond cutting wheel, Thus you can control the resulting fragments, and 'form' it as you'd like the colony to develop.

Andy

[Matt]

It is a handsome coral. Good luck fragging it. A dremel should do the trick.

[castaway]

Borneman and Calfo claim all that is needed is a wall/floor you don't mind made a mess of (i.e. throw it against the wall pickup up fragments return to tank).

LMFAO......................:lol: :lol: :lol: :mrgreen:

[pandafishowner]

ok. telling me to use a dremel doesn't exactly explain how to frag it. do I cut off the pieces that look like clumps of tubes? as for the floor/wall trick... sounds like the same way I'd frag our dishes! :lol:

[AndyL]

Basically you'd be cutting away a hunk of coral probably trying to ensure 1-3 polyps remain.

Most LPS are fragged the same way one would frag dishes... There's a video kicking around from a session at imac/macna/similar - of one of the former RC experts demoing fragging a big acan lordhowensis colony - with nothing more than a hammer.

As much as some people like to complicate things, it is nothing more than breaking pieces off. As hard as some people make it - think of nature, big storm blows through, surf pounds the reef, rock /coral /outcropping falls - new colonies are created - unless settled into a unfavorable environment. As we control the environment they 'land' into - it's just a matter of mechanically separating the corals.

There are very few corals that are much beyond cut / break piece off. Those are ones that aren't generally thought of as 'fraggable' to begin with (anemones come to mind - even though even those have been proven to be quite simple to frag)

[pandafishowner]

thank you AndyL! that is basically what I was asking. :wink: