I want to propagate the following corals:

[atrocity]

I would like links to reliable information/cheap tools for propagating the following corals to spread to a second tank and for trading at a lfs. Also, I'll do some trading with anyone in the Atlanta area too.

I've never done any propagation, so I need to know everything possible about getting started, as I am aware that some corals are very poisonous, so I would certainly like to avoid making any mistakes :d.

Star Polyps
Lg Green Button Polyps
Green Colony polyps

[Condiman]

Star polyps are quite simple to fragment. There is no one way to do it but the way that I use and works quite well. All you need is a razor blade, small fragment of a dry rock, towel, and some superglue. First you take your razor blade and cut the mat that is between the polyps. Cut it to the size that you want. Then slowly peel the mat off of the rock. Once you have it off then what I do is take the towel and dry the bottom side of the mat. Then take the superglue and spread a bit on the bottom side of the mat. Then take that piece and attach it to the small rock. Hold it there for a few seconds untill it holds tight. I have done it this way many of times and never had any complications yet.

Now for your Lg Green Button Polyps and Green Colony Polyps you should be able to take a small flat head screwdriver that is clean and a hammer. Just place the tip of the screwdriver where you wish to break away a chunck of rock with the amount of polyps on it then tap the end of the screwdriver with the hammer untill that chunk breaks off.

You may also wish to check out this article by Anthony Calfo. CLICK HERE (http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2002-06/ac/feature/[url)

[FishinInTheDark]

I can't get to Mr. Calfo's article, so I may be redundant by telling you this, but here goes:

When fragging zoos and palys, be very careful not to get any juice into your eyes or on you skin. They are full of a highly toxic substance. Many people wear gloves if they have cuts on their hands (or if not). I've had some pretty grungy juice squirt out of these things, so watch your eyes, too.

Jared wrote a very good article on this, but I can't find it on the new server.

Good luck, and enjoy fraggin'!

[atrocity]

How should I go about attatching these frags outside the tank, wont the long exposure without water kill them off? Can I do this with liverock without complications?

[Condiman]

You can uses a small dish or bowl of saltwater to keep them in while you are fragging.

[atrocity]

But the frag will survive the time out of the water for the glue?

[FishinInTheDark]

The glue should set in less than a minute. It won't be dry per se, but will be able to hold the frags in place and cure underwater.

[atrocity]

What kind of glue do you all recommend; it makes me a bit uncomfortable introducing such chemicals to my tank.

[cich1]

just a superglue type gel, i use Duro quickgel i buy at walmart because its pretty cheap, as long as its cyanoacrylate its fine to use

[Condiman]

I usually use the gel kind because it is a lot easier to work with. Believe me I was nervous when I first started to frag. But in time you will get better at it.

[jman785]

http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2002-06/ac/feature/

This is the link to Anthony Calfo's article.

http://www.coralforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=2053

This is the link to the article I wrote on coral toxicity.

[Condiman]

I try to read all the new articles that Anthony Calfo writes. His articles helped me out alot.

[jman785]

Yeah definitely. He's travels a lot to alot of seminars and club meetings and stuff too...to share his wealth of knowledge.

[Frick-n-Frags]

http://www.coralforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=3012

pics are back, I did some housecleaning on my URL and forgot these pics were still "in use"