Tired and true ways of removing zo's from rock?

[SeanT]

Which ways have you tried...that are successful?

[Easily Distracted]

If they are already on the rock, the only way I know is if there is a tight bunch that is growing sort of 3 dimensionally off the rock, they are an easy cut, remove and glue.
If they are tight to the rock, I know no elegant way. Just cut around the base as carefully as possible and give them time to recover.
If you want to propogate some, take this opportunity to glue a few to a piece of glass or a sheet of plastic. I hear that they scrape off very easily as they grow out.
Of course, always watch out for those toxins.

[ratboy]

I use a razor blade to scrape them off of the rock. They are easier to glue if you have a think layer of rock on the bottom of the zoos. Hold the blade at an angle so you cut under the tissue. When they come off like this they are normally opened back up the same day. Zoos that get cut take while longer top open after being glued.

[Jimbo327]

You want to remove them or frag them? Some people use sundial snails to munch on them to get rid of them before they the buttons get to their SPS. They are hard to frag off of rocks, plus they grow back like crazy. :D

Jim

[SeanT]

I am looking to frag them.
Would cutting them at their stalks kill them?

[Easily Distracted]

Cutting the stalks should not kill them. I would try ratboy's approach first. But if the rock won't allow it, cut a few healthy specimens as low as possible. I rinse the cut ones and the rock they were cut from in clean tank water to help reduce toxins. Then I get a piece of rock ready. I dab the rock surface to dry it and then dab the cut base of the polyp to dry it. Put a dot of crazy glue gel on the rock, then touch the cut base of the polyp to the glue. As you probably know, in a pinch, crazy glue can glue a cut closed on a human. I think the glue actually helps to repair the damage to the polyp. When you are done attaching the polyps, place the frag in a good spot in your tank to recover. I usually use a little tupperware cup so nothing gets lost. You should see them opening up pretty quickly depending on how smooth the process went. Good luck.

[TIGER SHARK]

I usually cut the tops off each stalk and place the frags in a net covered shallow bowl, with good flow for a few days to let them heal. After they start to open and seem to be ok, I then super glue them where I want them. So far, I've had good results with this method and the cut stalks will grow back in time. I didnt really know about the toxins the first time I did this but I started researching it after my first frags. I noticed my other corals and fish seemed very stressed for the next few days. Ran carbon and did a water change and things are good now.