8 Coral Fragging Mistakes Reefers Should AVOID!
1. Don't Use The Wrong Tools
The right tool for the job makes any job easier and this rings very true when it comes to coral propagation. Avoid using household tools like scissors from the junk drawer or tools from your garage to cut coral. These items are not designed for use in saltwater and you could very well end up damaging your coral. Additionally, different corals require different fragging tools and techniques. For example, soft corals require a razor blade or scalpel for the best results, LPS corals are best cut with a bandsaw, and SPS corals are best fragged using stainless steel sheers. Attempting to use a scalpel on an acro will be dangerous to both you and the coral!
2. Don't Frag Unhealthy Corals
Corals are animals and if you cut them, they will need time to recover and heal. This process requires energy and a coral that is not healthy will likely not survive through a fragging event. So, avoid fragging corals that are not healthy.
One caveat to this would be in the case of tissue necrosis (RTN or STN). When a coral is losing flesh, a common technique is to cut away the dead parts of the coral, dip the coral using iodine, and remount the coral with only healthy tissue. While this isn't 100% effective it has been known to stop the spread of tissue necrosis in some cases.
3. Fragging Corals Too Often Can Cause Stress
As mentioned above, corals need time to recover after fragging. Therefore, give your freshly fragged corals plenty of time to recover and at least double in size before fragging again.
4. Don't Cut The Wrong Spot
Different corals have different fragging requirements in terms of where to cut them for successful propagation. You can't just crush a coral into multiple pieces and then hope all those pieces will grow into new colonies. Research your coral species, learn where and how to frag them, and then cut with precision using the right tools.
Coral flesh is delicate and fragging a coral is essentially creating a wound. This exposes the coral to potential infection and/or disease. Use clean tools and avoid making more cuts than absolutely necessary to get the job done.
5. Handle Your Coral Properly
Avoid touching the coral flesh directly. Hold coral delicately using forceps whenever possible. If using your hands, be gentle and don't over-handle the coral. Let the polyps close up before removing coral from the water and minimize the time a coral is out of the water.
6. Use The Right Adhesive & Mounting Technique
Super Glue Gel is the most widely used adhesive for coral frags because it is safe, cures quickly underwater, and just works the best given the wet conditions of a coral frag. All you have to do is hold the frag in place for 30-60 seconds and it should hold strong enough to cure.
Epoxy in combination with super glue gel is the popular choice for larger LPS frags and mounting larger colonies of SPS. The epoxy allows you to create a sturdier foundation to support a larger frag.
For soft corals, there is a wide variety of techniques to consider with the most common being a short length of thread or fishing line. Simply tie the frag onto a rock until it naturally attaches.
7. Carefully Care For New Frags With TLC
Cutting a coral is stressful. Both for the coral and in some cases, for the hobbyist too! Cutting up your prized coral that has been growing in your tank for some time is not always an easy decision. As reef hobbyists, we pride ourselves on growing big, healthy, and beautiful corals. There is always the chance that something goes completely wrong during the fragging process but the risk doesn't end at making a successful cut. Freshly cut corals need time to heal so you must provide a stable environment that matches the conditions the coral is used to. Proper lighting, consistent water flow, and correct placement in the aquascape or frag rack are very important to any coral, especially with recovering frags.
8. Have A Plan & Stick To The Plan
To successfully heal and recover coral frags, you must have somewhere to put the frags. Whether it be a dedicated cora frag tank or a simple frag rack for your display, you need a dedicated space grow out your new corals!
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