I've recently decided to frag my Colt since it healed up (it had started to rot where it was attached to the rock, when my tank overheated the one time.) When it healed, there were a number of branches that appeared to be "pinched" where they joined the rest of the Colt, just because of how it healed. I decided to try fragging several off. I used a sharp razor blade, and then attached them to rocks with a tooth pick through the base and rubber-banded them down.

I have already lost two of them, because they ripped free, I can't find them anywhere. There is a third one that appears to be starting to rip also. I am thinking this is from the current, but I don't know, maybe I'm not putting the toothpick through high enough. Any suggestions? Would it be dumb to pull the toothpick back out and stick it through a second time, higher up?

i dont know that much about colt corals, but i have read when you frag soft corals to keep them under low current untill they attach and under less stress than normal.. not sure if that helps or even true but i have done it with my soft corals and it worked perfect. as for the toothpick just place it where the coral wont close and the tooth pick will rip out or if its to close to the base the current will rip it away from the tooth pick.. was the coral still healing when you fragged it?

was the coral still healing when you fragged it?

Maybe a little, but I waited until the "wounds" were closed.

i would say they still might of been alittle stressed but not sure that might be why they are tearing from the toothpicks as well. the holes from the toothpicks might be dieing and creating them to tear more than normal. its hard to say with out being there and seeing them..

I would take a cup and put it in your tank with the frag for a few weeks until it attaches so it doesn't blow off.

I have good luck fragging with zip ties- just don't do it too tight.

You mean put the frag/rock into a cup?

How do you use zip ties?

Yup, put the frag in the cup so it doesn't get much flow and it has a chance to attach.

Instead of using a rubberband, I just put the zip tie around the frag. No need for a toothpick.

Zip tie around the base, or can I go between branches? Or doesn't it matter?

yes, either way, doesn't matter. You just want enuff pressure against the rock so it will stick, but not so much that it will tear off. Give it a few weeks until it attaches. I would think colt should take no more than 2 weeks, maybe just a week and you can remove the zip tie and take it out of the cup. Just baby it and it will be ok.

Thanks gwen_o_lyn...

I meant to post a pic sooner, here it is.

http://www.talkingreef.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=426&stc=1&d=1152476484

Thems purdy Gwen... Did you break off a small chunk of the rock they are on, then zip tie it down? Is there a way to move just the zoos?

Thanks :)

I think those are on a piece of rock.

But these were not. Sometimes you can peel zoas off a rock if they grow a thick mat, and other times you can't. I prefer to leave a frag of zoas on the sandbed and allow them to grow bigger than what they are attached too. They just get so cluttered that they pull right off.

http://www.talkingreef.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=427&stc=1&d=1152489304

Wow, I like those too.

Pretty zoas Gwen.

Thanks John & Carmie!

In my old reef tank I used to have to frag my cult coral so that it wouldn,t grow outside the water( and that is from the gravel in a 55gal). Anyways I used did something like gwen. I cut the branches and put a small amount of super glue (Cyanoacrylate only) on the cut part, then stuck a toothpick threw the center, with a little pressure down I rubberbanded it down to some small rubble, then placed it in a rubbermaid container within the tank. the Glue gives it a headstart on its bond to the rock and helps keep it from ripping or pulling away.
I wish you much success

By the way beautiful zoas Gwen!!!

those red zoos are priceless, gwen.

i like the bluey green one mommy! :p

hey if i have a green ball in my left hand, & a green ball in my right hand, what do i have?


:o kermit the frogs undivided attention!!!!!!!! lol

i like the bluey green one mommy! :p

hey if i have a green ball in my left hand, & a green ball in my right hand, what do i have?


:o kermit the frogs undivided attention!!!!!!!! lol


:no: :help: what would we do without u BB?? ;)


Thanks for the comments

hey if i have a green ball in my left hand, & a green ball in my right hand, what do i have?


:o kermit the frogs undivided attention!!!!!!!! lol
you better run, bushboy, Miss Piggy is mad! :p

Alright, I ain't even gonna ask what you were doin when you ended up with a green ball in each hand, Bushboy!!! roflmao

This Colt is starting to wear on my nerves. I tried the toothpick and rubberband several times, zip ties several times, and I just now super-glued and zip tied. Everytime I have to get in there to touch this colt, it slimes the tank. Then I end up having to clean the U-tube for my over-flow, and all the other corals look stressed for a little while. Should I be increasing my water changes because of this, or is heavy skimming enough?

You should be setting up the frags in a seperate container than your tank. I forgot to mention that you may have to blot the end you are glueing with paper towel. Sorry, I don't know of any other advice I can give. Glue and rubberbands always worked for me. I hope it all works out.

with glue, if you reasonably dry both surface apply the glue, then give it a few seconds...
then submerge it in water, it usually hold pretty well..

the glue almost instantly hardens when in water.

how much of the super glue gell would be good? is there to much?

not alot.. just enough to cover the contact surfaces

i have noticed there is alot of frag trade talk here lately, have we done anything with the rules? i think maybe now might be a good time :)

i have noticed there is alot of frag trade talk here lately, have we done anything with the rules? i think maybe now might be a good time :)


sorry I moved the previous posts to the trading forum....

I am not sure where we are at as far as rules. I like the idea of 2 people trading in case a bad situation arises, it only affects those 2 people rather than a group. I have limited experience with online trading, and I am still in the middle of a transaction with Duane, which seems to have worked out fine.

Sorry, I don't know Wes.

yes, at this point it's going to be a person to person deal, TalkingReef will officially provide the forum to proceed with buying, selling, trading, but will not be responsible for the outcome.

Talkingreef will start to layout the guidelines, but in the end it's person to person