Torch coral fragging??? hows it done

[reefjunkie420]

hello all on RS i have a torch coral that is getting pretty big and i wanted to know how to frag it.... it is on a base rock and has two branches with about 10+ heads on it..:apimp:. and my question is how do i frag it, do i cut off each head or do i cut it at the bottom by the base..... i was lookin to sell or trade for other corals.......so i want to do it right i dont want to kill my coral.... any help would be nice THANKS....

 

[jjmoneyman]

You can cut the arms below the flesh and glue those to a piece of rock or a disk.

 

[reefjunkie420]

arm? so right under the head? i can cut each head off one by one or would i need to keep some heads together? this is my second time attempting to frag.... the first time didnt go so well..... i tried to frag a mushroom i got for free at my lfs.... it was a complete failure... so i wanna get this right cuz this torch wasnt free

 

[wscttwolfe]

i have no idea how to frag it, but how long did it take to get that big? what kind of lighting?

 

[dmatt88]

Ya. Just cut the skeleton

..........rarely am I speechless

 

[Doogle]

Just make sure you cut skeleton only. Don't cut into the fleshy skin like areas around the top near the heads.

 

[reefjunkie420]

My lighting is two actinic one ati aquablue and one daylight it's a t5 set up... I bought it already kinda big had it for about a month already and some heads split it's a lil bigger then a softball when fully opened...I just want to cut it down to a single branch... Being that one branch has about 5-6 heads....

 

[PIMPALA]

why cut it up bro? its still a VERY small coral. they get beach ball size and bigger in the ocean. thousands of heads.



if you just "have" to cut up a coral you have only had for a month, then i suggest you cut with good shears, and cut the branches as low as you possibly can, leaving as much skeleton as possible. also, be VERY careful while moving/cutting to never touch the part where the flesh is. dont bump it into anything, dont apply any pressure on it, dont touch it at all. when/if you decide to glue it to a rock, dont use superglue, just epoxy it. the skeleton is very porous, and dripping glue all up inside of it will kill the whole thing.


again, i suggest just leaving it alone, and letting it grow. i wouldnt cut it up unless its too big for the tank, or stinging other corals around it and you have no where to move it.

 

[BLADEYAMAHA]

I just use dynamite.

 

[BLADEYAMAHA]

and don't ask, its just the energy drinks taking over me!

 

[reefjunkie420]

why cut it up bro? its still a VERY small coral. they get beach ball size and bigger in the ocean. thousands of heads.
It's getting to big and I'm running out of spots if it gets n e bigger.... I have a 30 gal tank with about 35-40 lbs lr deep sand bed.. So I don't have much room in my tank ... And if I seperate the two branches I would b able to place them in between my rocks insead of it just sitting on my rock.... Doesn't have the natural look.. It is on what appearse to be a diy base rock kinda hard on the eyes.... And looks funny just sitting on the top.... And yeah I knowhow big the get in the ocean but it's not in an ocean it's in a small tank so don't want Otto get outof control big and I don't want to wait until it starts to kill my other corals... So I'd rather cut it down into two seperate branches so I will b able to give it a more permanent spot in the tank


if you just "have" to cut up a coral you have only had for a month, then i suggest you cut with good shears, and cut the branches as low as you possibly can, leaving as much skeleton as possible. also, be VERY careful while moving/cutting to never touch the part where the flesh is. dont bump it into anything, dont apply any pressure on it, dont touch it at all. when/if you decide to glue it to a rock, dont use superglue, just epoxy it. the skeleton is very porous, and dripping glue all up inside of it will kill the whole thing.


again, i suggest just leaving it alone, and letting it grow. i wouldnt cut it up unless its too big for the tank, or stinging other corals around it and you have no where to move it.

 

[PIMPALA]

if you have a DSB and dont like the rock... just bury the rock its on in the sand, leaving just the coral sticking out.


torch sting isnt that bad. i'd let it grow and worry about it once your tank is actually full enough for it to matter. I just think you are jumping on the fragging boat a little early. having full large colonies is SO much more rewarding, and fun to look at than a bunch of little frags everywhere.