First time Fragging (SPS) Angst

[Gyr]

I am hoping to get advice about fragging a Montipora Capricornus. I have never (intentionally) fragged any of my SPS corals, but I want to frag my green M.cap. I epoxied it too high on my rock work when it was a wee frag, and now it is casting too much shade. Since I can't remove it from the tank I was wondering how to underwater-frag the upright sections I want to remove. It really looks like I could just grasp the sections between thumb and finger and snap them off, but I am worried this will damage the polyps or shatter the section (I am hoping to get the sections off more or less intact so I can place them lower on my rock work). Is this an okay way to do it, or are other techniques better.
Thanks in advance for any advice,
Kurt.
I'll try attaching photos of the M. cap.
top view:

side view:

 

[BigAl07]

Great looking coral! If you have any extra I'd like one

 

[Gyr]

Thanks, BigAl.
I got my frag of that cap last June and it was either the first or second SPS I got. I know it's not particularly exotic, but I really like it...beautiful and grows fast. I'd be happy to let you have a piece, but I don't even know how to frag it yet, let alone ship corals. I've often wondered when RS members comment they'd like to have a frag from another member's coral, is that simply a nice way to compliment the coral, or can you really just drop frags into the mail for each other? I hope I am not being overly niave, but if you guys really do that, I'd sure like to get in on that action.
Thanks again,
Kurt

 

[BigAl07]

Kurt that's a VERY nice looking coral. I'd guess some people might say something similar as "just" a compliment but I meant it. If you're willing to try it and you live close enough ( I have no idea where you're located) I'm up for it too. I really like that CAP.

You're not being naive at all. Remember we ALL started at the same place at one time or another.

I've never fragged my Monti but when I bought it in '08 it was the size of a ping-pong ball merely glued flat on a frag disc. Here it is when I first brought it home

Fresh from MACNA 2008 in Atlanta GA

and here it is a few weeks later mounted up on my rock-work

Some growth

and here is a shot of it about 6 months ago under just Actinic lights (it's much more "Cupped" now)

I would imagine it's growth is very similar to your green Monti-Cap. If you'll notice on the SIDE shots how it was merely glued to the disc and allowed to grow out over it. It's now all the way onto and spreading up the rock work just now I wanted it to.

It's one of my favorite coral and if it's feasible I'd love to get a small frag of yours.

As for HOW to frag it... I've never fragged mine (yet) but anytime I cut/break/damage any of my coral I do a heavy "Lugols" iodine dip. This seems to really help the coral recover from any wounds.

 

[Gyr]

BigAl,
I am impressed with the growth of your cap. I like the way you mounted it on your rock work and the shape it has taken looks great. Very nice coral. When I work up the nerve to frag my green one, I'll try to mount the frag(s) in a similar way. Here's a shot from last June about 2 weeks after I brought the frag home from the LFS. It was originally an all green piece about the size of a quarter, then the whole thing turned purple and started growing vertically. after about a month of growth the body turned into a nice rich green color, just the leading edges purple.

[/IMG]
Thanks for the tip about the Lugol's, I'll see if any of my LFS's carry it.
I live near Sacramento, California (I'll update my profile so that info will be available to others). I'm still agonizing about how to frag my baby, and the idea of sending a piece of coral across country is a bit intimidating, but I know tons of people do it. If you or others can walk me through the process of safely shipping live coral, I'd be happy to give it a try. (I happen to have Santa's ear, and he tells me you've been a good boy this year.)
Kurt

 

[BigAl07]

Here is what I found on "Fragging" this coral

Fragging Montipora Capricornis is rather easy. Simply break off a piece and affix it to a reef plug or a piece of rock, give it optimum water conditions, proper lighting levels and you could have a small frag farm going in no time.

I know many people frag it on accident when something falls and breaks a chip off.

Good luck

 

[Gyr]

Sounds pretty simple, BigAl.
I'll get the Lugols and give it a go.
Thanks,
Kurt

 

[Tab964]

I had your thoughts when my Monti's strated getting big. They are not the size of yours but I have broken so many times cleaning things. The pieces snap so easy and you may not get the exact shape in the beginning but they heal fast. I broke my Digitata a while ago a big piece maybe 5 inches with several braches. It looked good the way it was curving upward with the branches so I just super glued it back unto the main banch and it healed itself in a few months.

I was at WWC and they fragged a orange and green unto a plug and now are growing unto each other and looks really nice with the contrast.

 

[BigAl07]

I was at WWC and they fragged a orange and green unto a plug and now are growing unto each other and looks really nice with the contrast.

Tab you do realize that

 

[seafansar]

It's really easy to frag a cap. Just grab it and snap off the piece you want. It's hard to break it just the way you want, but if you break off too much just remember it's a fast grower. My orange cap is getting way too big and I just broke off a few more pieces just last night. Most of the pieces I glue them to frag plugs or lay them on the coral to grow onto it again, and if it's an ugly piece (been mostly shaded and partially died back) I just throw it away. Still have plenty of frags of it, cause no one around here seems to want them.

 

[BigAl07]

Excellent input Sar...a

 

[Deep Thief]

Kurt, As for fragging, I know some may think I am nuts, but, I would take a hammer and a chisel and go to town. Take the chisel and put it on the side where you want to cut it and BAM. It should just pop off. The more approiate way would be to take some clippers and cut it. Kinda like some big dikes or big tin snips and just cut away. Then let it sit in your tank for a couple of weeks and heal. Yes I have done it that way before. He he.

As for shipping, When they used to ship us stuff from the west coast, they would just double bag everything and put it in boxes. If I was you, I would go visit my LFS and offer to buy some of their bags. Take and triple bag the thing in some of your tank water. Put it in an Overnight Air box from whoever you wish to ship with.

Add some hand warmer heat packs, preferably the 22 hour kind. The cargo hold of an airplane at 37,000' gets cold. Send out on a predeterminded day when the receiver knows its coming and can be there to accept it the next day. Make sure you bag it at the last possible moment so its in transit the least amount of time.

This is expensive as you HAVE to ship it via next day air with early delivery(at least by 10:30am is fine). There you go, shipping a coral. Mark

 

[Gyr]

Cool, guys. Thanks for the great advice.
I'll just give it a try by snapping pieces off with my fingers as it would be tough to get a chisel or pair of dikes in the right orientation where that coral is located in my tank.
BigAl, it sounds like shipping you a frag would be something I could manage. I imagine I could get long-lasting hand warmers like Deep Thief mentioned at a sporting goods store. We'd have to coordinate the over-night thing and I'd have to drive it to Sacramento as our local post office doesn't do over night shipping (we're a bit out in the boonies). Drop me a PM if interested.
Thanks again, everyone,
Kurt

 

[Eric]

Little side note about shipping, this is based on frag size but if you can fit the frag into a 1 liter pepsi bottle or like container with a screw on cap you can avoid any possible leak. I also gum band the frag to a small piece of styro foam, then fill the bottle halfway drop in frag and foam into the container. Once I had everything together I would tip the bottle several different directions making sure the coral always stayed facing down in the water. It's a good technique to make sure the coral doesn't get stuck in a dry corner of a bag/bottle when the package is tossed around in transit.

Also tape the heat pack on the opposite side of the box from the bag or bottle so it cannot make contact and over heat.

Just a few things I learned along the way. Hope it helps.

Eric

 

[BigAl07]

One thing I've done and had done to add to Eric's idea of a "1 liter bottle" is get one of those small "kids to go" thermos containers from your local department store. They cost about $2 and come in a variety of colors (if that matters LOL).

Here's how I ship and have shipped between November - March.

• Mount coral and dip in Lugols
  .
• sit in tank "healing" for min of 2 weeks
  .
• if all is good after 2 weeks (more is fine) I attach frag to small piece of Styrofoam (rubberband or glue it) so it's always exposed to and submerged in the water.
  .
• Add water & coral to "thermos" and fill with water placing lid on tightly.
  .
• Place thermos in a large thick Zip-Loc back ... just in case...
  .
• Add this to a shipping box that's well "cushioned" and with a heat pack taped/glued to the box not the bag or thermos.
  .
• ****Ship over-night, insure and delivery receipt. ***
  .
• Cross your fingers and hope for the best. I always include the recipients phone # so they can call them if there is a problem on the delivery end (trust me... this save a box of coral for me that was LEAKING at the post office)

Just for "kicks n grins" I have made one of these "packages" up as a TEST as if I were shipping it (including packaging etc) and literally played with it around the house for a couple of days. Kicking it... throwing it... etc. I'd rather find the problem on a TEST package if possible




Kurt I'd absolutely LOVE to get a frag of that coral but you being on THAT end of the country, me being way over here and I also live in the "Boonies" it makes it expensive and not overly safe especially this time of year. Next Day guaranteed Delivery to me is 2 days. That's the price I pay for living in PARADISE But I appreciate the offer and will remember it in the future.

Allen

 

[Gyr]

Allen,
I agree, shipping from west coast boonies to east coast boonies in the winter sounds pretty iffy. Especially since I've never shipped corals before. Maybe by this summer I'll have tried a few local shippings and if things go well maybe we can give it a try then.
I've skimmed through your 90 gallon slow build thread and I would be honored if a piece of my coral took up residence in your awesome tank. Kind of like having a daughter that marries up...:fingerx:
Thanks for all your advice every one. Love this forum.
Kurt