fragging/pruning info?

[DNickell]

Is there an on-line information source for making frags from LPS corals, or for pruning away declining branches?

[uglyamericanV1]

http://garf.org/
its easier than you think.....
most times i just take a chisel to favias/galaxia
scissors/razor for softies.....
for candies, snap the piece off or use wire cutters....
even took a dremel to a plate coral......
seriously..

[DNickell]

Do you do this underwater? Do you remove the LPS from the water, then whack it with a chisel? Pull out the Sawzall?

I went to the GARF site and found info on SPS and soft corals, but nothing on LPS.

[uglyamericanV1]

hmmmmm
if you had a sand bed i wouldnt worry abotu wacking it alittle underwater, i would worry about knocking of rocks or breaking something else, if you go underwater take it SLOW
maybe if the colony is too big or is on a rock you cant remove, try to start at the edge of the colony and try to pry it off the rock with a small screwdriver.....

but the best would be to take it out, take a hammer, put it between the individual heads if they have em....if they dont (like favia dont) just wackem at the point where you want the break. i would always have at least one "full" head.....i always feel better that way.
use a hammer and a chisel...or better yet use a small screwdriver.

individual polyped coral, like acan, is alot easier.....you can wedge a small screwdriver between them and wack or even pry it off.....

note, when you go to pull em out of the water, use your fingers to "flick" water or wave around the heads so they withdraw their polyps......

[DNickell]

Thanks for the additional info. This does sound doable. I'm looking at my frogspawn, which has very distinct branches. I didn't know whether to cut (with a knife) where the fleshy part joins the calcified branches, or just whack the hard branch and break it lose.

I've always tried to avoid having corals out of the water as much as possible. Evidently that isn't as much of a problem as I had thought. Still, removing them from the water and whacking them with a hammer and chisel has to be stressful.

[uglyamericanV1]

they dont get too ****ed

imagine a favia whose polyps are connected, getting split with a tiny screwdriver and hamer.........still happy if put in the water within 5-10 min (5 great, 10 is pushing)

use wire cutters on your frogspawn, cut far away from the flesh that is around the skeleton (couple of inches down if doable)

remember the right tool for the job makes it so much eaiser on everyone

[DNickell]

Thanks. That helps a bunch. Now its time to prepare for surgery!

(I worked for a veterinarian for several years and assisted many times putting pins in bones and restructuring shattered bones. It's amazing how much of that is done with hammers, screwdrivers, pliars and drills.)