1st Zoa fragging experience

[Surfandturf]

So I tried my hand at fragging zoas last night and I learned a lot. First off, I used protection as in goggles and gloves. I cut them on a tile that I cleaned and then threw away. I used ammonia on my razor blades. I tried to frag 3 different zoa types: emeralds on fire, rastas and an unifentified bright orange zoa from vietnam. 1st lesson learned was that small polyps are extremely hard to get off the rock cleanly. Second lesson learned, coral glue needs to be tacky before I put the polyp on. As of now, only the unidentifed zoa is open, but the frag rack could be too high in my tank. I also might have inadvertantly glued the other two shut. *Please do not make this thread about palytoxin.

 

[reeftanker17]

I just got some zoas and have thought about having to frag later in down the road..... so where did you cut...... like the lowest part of the stock or what?

 

[Surfandturf]

I looked for the stoma, tried to lift from the rock and then cut the stoma. It was hard and eventually, I took the razor under the polyp to kind of push it off.

 

[Surfandturf]

It was extremely hard to frag the emeralds on fire. Pretty sure the glue covered them. Keeping my fingers crossed. They are slow growers for sure.

 

[twilliard]

It will get easier with practice. I use my pick to get under the polyps and pick away at the surface they are attached to.

 

[Surfandturf]

It will get easier with practice. I use my pick to get under the polyps and pick away at the surface they are attached to.

So i was thinking of using one of those loop tools that comes in the little dental kits at the grocery store. Think that would be a less intrusive way to lift the polyps from the rock?

 

[smh254]

Like twilliard said try to chip away at the rock and not just pill the Zoas off. in my experience it's a much higher survival rate if the Zoas are attached to the small pice of rock. It also makes it much easier to glue to a Frag plug.

 

[Surfandturf]

Like twilliard said try to chip away at the rock and not just pill the Zoas off. in my experience it's a much higher survival rate if the Zoas are attached to the small pice of rock. It also makes it much easier to glue to a Frag plug.

I can see that. Problem for me is that they were on frag plugs and super close together.

 

[Surfandturf]

I was also super paranoid because of everything that I have read as far as bad experiences from palytoxin. I forgot to add that after I fragged, I dipped in iodine solution.

 

[kashman100]

Make sure frag plugs are cured

 

[twilliard]

I can see that. Problem for me is that they were on frag plugs and super close together.

Ya frag plugs are a bummer depending on how the plug was made. Some are easier than others to get under the polyps.
I take the plug and let them grow over a rock then frag off the rock.

 

[Surfandturf]

So do you frag in your tank? I fragged out of tank. From what I have heard, the zoas release toxin in your tank water and you really should do a wc directly following an in tank fragging experience. That true or just wives' tale?

 

[smh254]

So do you frag in your tank? I fragged out of tank. From what I have heard, the zoas release toxin in your tank water and you really should do a wc directly following an in tank fragging experience. That true or just wives' tale?

I Frag out of the tank. I have hade to cut palys/Zoas that are attached to more than one rock inside the tank with no problems. I've never worn gloves when I frag Zoas I Like to feel what I'm doing. have some Palys but I'm not too sure about and I do wear gloves when I mess with them.

 

[SalinFL]

I was pretty freaked with my first experience as well. Honestly it took a good two weeks to muster my courage and a desperate need to get them away from several manjanos that popped up in the cluster. I used a zip lock storage box filled with tank water as my work station and a few bowls of fresh saltwater for dipping and a bowl of coral dip. Tools, a hammer, flathead screwdriver and a pair of steel plier-like toenail clippers...i.e., poor man's bone cutters.

 

[Surfandturf]

Quick update: the orange/pink zoa has been open since the day after fragging. The rasta is now opening. Thank goodness! I only fragged the rasta because I am trading it for miami hurricane polyps. Unfortunately, I think the emerald on fire polyps were too small and I put too much glue. What a bummer. 2 out of 3 aint bad for my first attempt! On another note, this egg crate from lowes is a darn algae magnet! Heres a pic.