Zoanthis fragging question...

[icebear]

i did look for the answer to this, but i didn't find quite what i wanted, so....

about how long, from start to finish, do you have to frag zoanthids out of the tank?

i have a large mixed rock of interesting colored zoas, and i'd like to separate out a few of the colors so they can grow out on their own, i'm worried that if i leave them as is, the not as pretty ones will out and overgrow the nicer ones. The rock is about as large as my hand and is loaded full of polyps, there are about 5 different color combos on it and i have never intentionally fragged zoas before, so i need to know how quick i have to be...


since they are new to me, i plan to let them settle for another couple weeks before i mess with fragging them, but i'm trying to get a head start on the info right now cause i'm sure i'll think of more Q's between then and now that haven't been covered as much as i'd need them to be.

[YeeHawReefer]

I have fragged lots of my zoas, both in and out of the water. One quick thing, if its gonna be in, make sure the pump is off, and then make sure there is some kind of carbon ready to run when the pumps come back on.

If its inside the tank, like on a rock I cannot get out, I simply take an xacto knife with a plastic handle and carve underneath the polyp base, actually taking a bit of the LR or coralline with the cut. I basically do this method for both, in and out of the water, sometimes the polyps will still be connected by their tissues together, in those cases, its either cut the tissue, or continue shaving them off in cluster, makes it easier to glue back on.

I just use tweezers to glue back on each individual polyp.

Hope This helps!

[ckusnierek]

I frag and sell probably 50 frags of zoos every week an just take them out of the water, chop them up and glue them to a plug. On average there out of water for 5 mins or so.

I did last week forget one and left it on my fragging area for over and hour probally 5 heads of purple death with $40 I mounted them and the next day they were fine and all opened.

Actually a common practice among sellers is to just warp them in paper towel and dip it in the water bag them and ship with just the moisture in the towel.

Zoos are very hardy creatures. They will slime up when exposed to air to protect them selves, as long as the slime does not dry out the will be fine...

HTH

[YeeHawReefer]

Yes, when I glue them, I usually let the glue dry about 5 minutes, then they get a fresh S/W bath, they sit in that bowl for a bit for the glue to really cure, and then finally into the frag/display......They really are tough, usually mine will open an hour or so AFTER slicin' & dicin'

[icebear]

cool, so i can basically take my time and not feel like i have to be fast?

and superglue gel works well with them? i have plenty of that if so.... i have stick epoxy also if that works better...?

[YeeHawReefer]

Personally, I have used many types of Super Glue.....The Loctite "Super Gel" works great for me, it holds and stays, some I have seen hold for the beginning, by the end of the week polyps detach, then finally all detach. The control gel is good though, you can place it, then if you MUST, you can move it right after. but yes, no rush at all.

My Fragging supplies:

[gregsayers2000]

Some zoanthids grow in tidal areas. When the tide goes out they are out of the water for over an hour. No big hrry when fraggin them.

[Jordan55]

I just fragged a few of them the other night. no rush glued them on let them sit for a bit in a cup with SW and then in the tank they go. after an hour or so they started to open up and look beautiful.

[Loverotties]

I also spray it after the gel glue with a accelerator,to dry instant.You can get that at a good store t6hat sell models.