Curious - Anyone fragging Brain Corals?

[paddyob]

Just wanted to explore this topic more.

And instead of jacking Chowders thread, I started this one.

I was asking about fragging brain corals as he has a frag piece for sale.

I was unaware brain corals could be fragged. I am not talking about favia type brains or Acans.... but the large polyp brains.... lobos, etc.

I was wondering who has fragged one, or who has bought a frag of one and was it successful?

If so... whats the process you used to frag?

Just curious. Thanks!

[Brightwhite]

In for more info.

[Myka]

I've fragged Symphyllias and Trachyphyllias before. I just make sure there is a mouth on each frag.

[whatcaneyedo]

They grow pretty slow so I don't do it often but I have cut two Trachyphyllia and one Lobophyllia. I usually use an Inland bandsaw but I have used a wet tile saw and a rotary tool with a diamond wheel before. If the piece only has one mouth it works to cut it right down the middle.

I took this first set of pictures one week apart (I think).
http://i254.photobucket.com/albums/hh109/whatcaneyedo/Picture357.jpg

http://i254.photobucket.com/albums/hh109/whatcaneyedo/Picture1226.jpg

http://i254.photobucket.com/albums/hh109/whatcaneyedo/Picture1255.jpg

http://i254.photobucket.com/albums/hh109/whatcaneyedo/Picture1298.jpg

I cut this one into 4 or 6 pieces.
http://i254.photobucket.com/albums/hh109/whatcaneyedo/Picture076-1.jpg

http://i254.photobucket.com/albums/hh109/whatcaneyedo/18-1.jpg

This was only 1/4" and survived to grow into a nice little piece. You can see an amphipod sitting beside it.
http://i254.photobucket.com/albums/hh109/whatcaneyedo/Picture1215.jpg

I don't have the fragged pictures of this one handy. But I successfully cut it into about 8 little pieces. I kept one of them which I could take pick of later.
http://i254.photobucket.com/albums/hh109/whatcaneyedo/Picture119.jpg

[whatcaneyedo]

Here are some pictures from today. The first is the half that I kept. It actually would have looked uniform by now but I attempted to frag it a second time without a piece of the mouth. The piece without the mouth did not make it.

http://i254.photobucket.com/albums/hh109/whatcaneyedo/IMG_8720.jpg

This is what that extremely small piece grew into.

http://i254.photobucket.com/albums/hh109/whatcaneyedo/IMG_8710.jpg

Here is the 1"x1" lobo that I kept.

http://i254.photobucket.com/albums/hh109/whatcaneyedo/IMG_8699.jpg

[paddyob]

Thanks for the pics!

Nice to learn something new in this hobby!