Fragging Zoanthids

How to frag Zoanthids:

1. Gather your supplies:
-Gloves
-Glasses
-Mask
-Scalpel
-Tweezers (forceps)
-Frag disk/plug
-A few containers
-A towel
-Gel super glue

2. Take up your gloves, mask, etc.:

3. Set out your towel and fill your containers with aquarium water:

4. Take out the mother colony and place it on the towel:

5. Using the scalpel, make a cut around the polyps you want fragged, making sure you don't cut the polyp.

6. Take your time, Zoanthids are used to being out of the water at low tide for hours.

7. Using your fingers and the forceps, slowly, gently, and carefully dig under the Zoanthid mat and remove from it from the live rock.

8. Place a dab of super glue on the disk and a small amount of the Zoanthid mat.

9. Place the Zoanthid fragling on the plug and place it in one of the containers.

10. If you're satisfied with your frag, place it into the tank, along with your mother colony and clean-up.

11. If not, repeat steps 5-9 until you reach your desired quanitity of frags.

12. When all your frags are... well, fragged, put your frags in your frag tank, frag rack, on your live rock or directly in your live sand.

13. Remember to clean-up and wash everything the Zoanthids touched.

Note: Zoanthids can squirt a poison called Palytoxin that can, if in the right quantity, kill you. I am not resposible for anything that happens to you or your pets during the above fragging process. Remember! Treat every Zoanthid like it can kill you, be careful, and don't do anything stupid... please.

 

pics would be good with this. but thanks for sharing

 

Yeah some pics of zoos you fragged would be nice...

Also using a small flathead screwdriver works well to get under the stolon also or even a small chisel.

Happy fragging!

 

I still like the idea of putting empty frag plugs around a plug with zoas on it and letting them spread. I'm not down with the idea of screwing with their toxins!

 

what is a good minimum frag size? i know this could vary from specimen to specimen, but i'm speaking in broad generalizations here. i'm guessing a one polyp frag would be too much injury and stress to insure survival. any tips?

 

I like 6-10 polyps.

Its a good sized piece to get started. Good odds of survival ...

 

nice write up. K+
I will add emphasis on wearing gloves. WEAR YOUR GLOVES. I learned this the hard way as of last thursday I fragged my zoanthids and didnt wear gloves.. I figured I would be ok.. and I was not.. I got sick as a dog for over 24 hours with increased heart rate, sweating, and extreme nausia. I seriously threw up for an hour.. So please let my lesson be for all.. wear protection.. they are mean little suckers..

oh and my frags look great!!

 

I start all my frags with one maybe two polyps, its fun to watch them grow

 

you forgot "taste them before cutting" JK JK JK JK JK (don't do this)

 

UMMM YUMMMY... lol