Should coral fragging be banned?

[revhtree Verified Admin]

I'll start by saying NO, Of course not, negative, NO WAY and that's just my opinion but I thought it could make for an interesting topic. How did I even come up with this question? Well I ran into this articled called Coral Fragging Should Be Banned. My hot take is the author believes the process should be banned based on genetic implications and adaptation. Let's talk about it!

1. Should coral fragging be banned?

2. What are your thoughts on genetic implications and adaptation issues (as the author states) caused by coral fragging?

image via @therman

 

[ChiCity]

lol, wut?!
no…

as to the 2nd q…

there will come a day when aquaculture is the only means of survival for corals….
(and that day is coming soon.)

 

[Mike konesky]

Hurricanes and storms need to stop fragging the reefs. Been going on for millions of years and it's gotta stop! Kidding, keep chopping em up imo.

 

[mikeytrw]

that article is more focussed on fragging on natural reefs rather than in our tanks tho...

 

[Alexraptor]

I think the entire premise is flawed as its partially based on old data. In just the past two decades alone, our knowledge and understanding of corals has grown exponentially, while in 1995 coral keeping and stewardship was still in its very infancy. We have a better understanding of how corals respond to different stressors, and how they grow in different types of environments, conditions and depths, which could allow for more intelligent seeding of colonies that would allow them to do better in the long-term.

Not to mention fragging is in itself the invention of mother nature, we just capitalized on it.

 

[nopenotpeter]

So I'm rather new to the hobby, but agree with ChiCity. If you look at the copious amount of pollution in some reefs, all the nitrate and phosphate is slowing the growth of corals, if not suffocating them. I think without the reefing community and fragging in particular several species are not going to be too far off from being extinct.

 

[SteveMM62Reef]

No! I try my best to avoid, Ocean Harvested Coral. Buy and Swap Corals with other Reefers, much easier to be successful and I know I haven’t contributed to harming ocean reefs.

 

[BradB]

On a healthy reef with little space available for new coral, fragging colonies to fill space probably will detrimentally lower genetic diversity. This is not where people are fragging, and even if it was, it wouldn't lower diversity even by 1%.

People fragging dead/dying reefs that would be empty rock or algae for decades is not lowering genetic diversity. Wild Acropora palmata dying is lowering genetic diversity. If it is successfully fragged and spreads out, the diversity is lower than if it naturally covered the same area. But that isn't the alternative - if these fragging projects didn't happen, the area would be much smaller and there would be much less Acropora palmata.

The real problems are nutrients and pollution being run-off land, development of coastlines, overfishing, global warming and ocean acidification. These fragging projects aren't doing anything to help those problems, but they aren't hurting anything either.

 

[Smoke-Town]

Fragging should only be banned if the frag is under 1 inch tall

 

[davidcalgary29]

that article is more focussed on fragging on natural reefs rather than in our tanks tho...

Right. I think the concern expressed in the article (albeit poorly) is more is with the idea that a vibrantly diverse ecosystem (that died) will be replaced with a with a monoclonal "factory" environment in just the same way that we practice forest management in northern latitudes, for good and bad. That article isn't written in the most interesting or accessible fashion, though.

I am, however, adamantly in favour of stopping fragging of softies. I've been yelling at my xenia and Kenya Trees to stop their unholy divisions for the past several months, with no success. They must be stopped!

 

[Glenner’sreef]

Through reefing, they’ll come to find out that we are creating healthier and temperature resistant strains. Snip, snip!

 

[Glenner’sreef]

Through reefing, they’ll come to find out that we are creating healthier and temperature resistant strains. Snip, snip!

 

[Crustaceon]

I think the nature of the hobby is to want diversity, so this is kind of a non-issue. Fragging shouldn't be banned because it ensures future propagation of coral vs. just leaving the coral in the ocean and to a probable future of coral bleaching where they currently are. As far as genetics go, not everyone is going to want Walt Disney frags. Reefers like having things that other reefers don't have.

 

[Jeffcb]

Yes, ban it please. I will save me lots of money .....

 

[WVNed]

Clearly an article written by someone who knows nothing

 

[mdb_talon]

I think this is a "strawman" type argument that completely misrepresents the article. The article has nothing to do with the fragging we do.

A quote right at the beginning which makes it clear.

"The practice was first developed in the 1950’s for used in the aquarium trade, which is an efficient way to create new colonies of coral for sale using corals that have already proven to be well adapted to growing in tanks. This practice has the benefit of allowing sellers to produce a feedstock which does not require further collection from wild populations and has been very successful. Subsequently, the same practice has been adopted in the field of reef restoration for wild populations, with little consideration for the genetic affects it has on wild populations of corals. This article is only focused on the later situation, as fragging for the aquarium trade is seen as an entirely positive action."

 

[mdb_talon]

Clearly an article written by someone who knows nothing

Not sure if you read the article, but I would argue he seems pretty knowledgable(and again point out that the article has zero to do with the fragging we do in the hobby and in fact he states that is "an entirely positive action".

 

[Joe's Coral Reef]

The frags are selected for certain genetic characteristics, so when they do reproduce naturally they are producing genetically unique coral that are more heat resistant etc. The author kinda of makes a good point but misses the fact they frags will reproduce.

 

[redfishbluefish]

No way; can't happen; and for me, not so much for selling, but for weed control. A couple corals I have grow like weeds....Candy Cane and Hollywood Stunner, to mention 2. This one here is a good foot across:

And here's my field of Candy Cane:

Fragging really isn't my issue, it's what to do with them. It's gotten to the point that I can't even give these frags away, and I hate just throwing them away....that's why I have this gigantic mess!


In regard to question #2, this guy is dreaming (and I had to calm down to give this family friendly response). I've found that dead reefs have an even more difficult time with genetic diversity. If fragging and seeding dead reefs is bad for coral diversity, what does this scholar recommend to restore the reefs? I've attended two talks by Ken Nedimyer who founded Coral Restoration Foundation in Florida. When I saw totally dead reefs in Florida, I was shocked. They actually include genetic info and consideration on their reseeding programs. It certainly is better then doing nothing.

And to finish up, our local club's motto is "Saving the World's reefs one living room at a time." With the continued global warming, and death of reefs around the world, there might come a time were the only place you will find coral reefs would be in aquariums.

 

[ScubaFish802]

Unfortunately someday fragging will be all that is left..