Fragging Hammer coral

[Raven2k]

How would one go about fragging a hammer coral. Mine is getting too big and needs to be "pruned" per say...

[DanG]

get a pair of bone shears and cut the bone that the head is attached to as far away from the head as possible.

[GrimReefer]

just snap the skeleton where it branches.

[CDick]

I've fragged my hammer a couple time it's very easy. You just use a pair of small cutters and cut at the bottom of where it's branching. Try to keep as much stock on each peace you cut because it's easier to find a hole it will fit in and be stable.Also if their are any small ones starting I pick them off with my fingers, and use Gel Super Glue and place them right on a rock.

[Raven2k]

i don't think there are any parts that are seperate enough. There seems to be flesh at the head end all the way across the whole coral. I'll take some pics tonight when it closes up maybe that'll help....

[SeaHorse_Fanatic]

Sounds like you have a wall hammer or wall anchor, not a branching one. Can't easily frag those. More likely to damage or kill it.

[4ptbuck]

sounds like a wall anchor. I accidently fragged mine into 3 health piece once. There was no science to it, more of an oops!!

[Raven2k]

Sounds like you have a wall hammer or wall anchor, not a branching one. Can't easily frag those. More likely to damage or kill it.

How big is this thing going to get then, if I can't frag it then i'll have to re-arrange things to accomodate.

[SeaHorse_Fanatic]

post a pic

I've never tried fragging a wall hammer, but Preston did it by accident so if sounds like if it is healthy & the water parameters are good, then it could work. You have to minimize the stress that it has to live with while it is healing.

Anthony

[Raven2k]

here's a couple pics of the coral closed up at night, is it a wall hammer?

I can't see anyway of cutting it without hitting flesh so i guess i'll have to make due. :)

BTW sorry for the bad pic quality, my camera battery is charging and my wifes camera sucks...lol

[SeaHorse_Fanatic]

Yup, wall anchor. More tricky to frag than branching types but if Preston's experience is typical, then doable.

If you want, bring it over here & we can try it here, but I would think it is safer to frag it at home & get it into the tank asap.

Anthony

[Raven2k]

ya im thinking that im going to hold off on the fragging, sounds a little risky and i don't want to hurt it.
If it gets too big before i set up my 90 gallon then i'll sell it or trade it.

Thanks.

[Der_Iron_Chef]

Looks like a wall hammer to me. Very pretty!

I got this from wetwebmedia:

"His method is to stretch a rubber band around the coral crossing the polyps where he wants to make the cut. In a week or so, the polyps will recede from this point leaving open skeleton for you to make the cut without fear of damaging the polyps and risking infection."

Then he goes on to suggest you could cut through the calcerous skeleton using a dremel.

[Raven2k]

Looks like a wall hammer to me. Very pretty!

I got this from wetwebmedia:

"His method is to stretch a rubber band around the coral crossing the polyps where he wants to make the cut. In a week or so, the polyps will recede from this point leaving open skeleton for you to make the cut without fear of damaging the polyps and risking infection."

Then he goes on to suggest you could cut through the calcerous skeleton using a dremel.

Interesting method, it makes sense.

[4ptbuck]

I have also heard of dremelling the base, then cracking the head. Leave the flesh connected, and it will receed, and seperate.

Or you can do what I did, with was while in the process of removing some of the base, ie horizontally, the hammer split vertically in 3 pieces. 2 pieces fell to the floor, with me holding 1 piece, with a big 'o-crap' look on my face.

Put all three pieces back into the tank, and they have all recovered.