What is the proper way to frag?

[carribeanlovers]

Help! I have never done this:confused:

What is the proper way to frag a cabbage leather? Also, a couple of my cabbage leathers are on a very thin plate like rock and I wanted to know if they can be taken off of there and placed onto another rock?

[dragon_slayer]

just snip off what you want to frag.

with any leather it's best not to do the cutting in the tank. add some iodine to a bowl of tank water and do a dip after fragging. and running carbon on the tank after the frags are placed back in is a good idea if you have it.

after fragging they do not glue well so attachment by stitching them with small fishing line is your best option IME.

kc

[bmkindig]

hey i'm jumping in on the fragging questiong here.i never heard of the iodine in a bowl but i'm learning to.
with leathers can they be cut anyway you want to?
i've made some cuts on leathers and seem to be lucky so far,like my xenia attaches to rocks and then i cut whats left, but i'd like to know about a colt or a toadstool... i have hade some "safe"cuts on my colt but it's huge and i'd like to cut it back harder.
later
brad

[dragon_slayer]

IMO the best way to frag a colt is to use a 'ziptie' and slowly close it around the part you want to frag over the course of a few weeks and the frag will 'pinch' it's self into.

a toadstool can be fragged about any way you want to cut it. the only problem is they are the worst to produce the toxins when fragged and it's not a good idea to put fragged toadstools back into a tank with stony corals until they heal. (its also a good idea to never keep toadstools with SPS due to the toxins they give off to kill/stunt other corals but most of us do)

hth
kc

[carribeanlovers]

Originally posted by dragon_slayer
stitching them with small fishing line is your best option IME.

What do you mean by stitching?

[bmkindig]

hey dragon
that sounds like a neat trick. as for toadstools i'm not really that big of a fan of sps. i like the hard corals and softies.

hey carribeanlovers
stitching =as in a needle and thread/fishing line and "sewing"the frag to a rock
later
brad

[carribeanlovers]

That's what I thought but I wanted to make sure. Thanks!

[dragon_slayer]

i'm not really that big of a fan of sps. i like the hard corals and softies.

SPS fall into the 'hard' (stony) corals catagory. altho some stony corals can deal better with the toxin levels then others in the system. its always a good idea if you have a mix in your tank to run carbon and keep it changed regularly.

kc

[JonK]

It's kind of unnerving when you frag for the first time. But once you start and see that the corals are okay and heal up it gets easier.

With my toadstool I usually just cut a nice chunk off the top and then cut that into several more pieces. It has been a challenge lately cause my large toadstool, which is 12+ inches across, is so thick it makes it really difficult to make clean cuts straight thru. Finger leathers are a lot easier.

[Bill King]

Originally posted by carribeanlovers
Help! I have never done this:confused:

What is the proper way to frag a cabbage leather? Also, a couple of my cabbage leathers are on a very thin plate like rock and I wanted to know if they can be taken off of there and placed onto another rock?
If it's the same "cabbage leather" as mine which I believe to be Sinularia dura , just make a clean cut with a razor blade. This coral has a pretty tough skin where it is attached to the rock. I just use my fingernail to peal it off, & have had good luck using superglue gel to re-attach it another rock.
Good luck
Bill

[Mal3]

I suggest that you explore www.GARF.org.

They have instructions and movies how to frag all types of corals.

[carribeanlovers]

Thanks for all the info.