What are Coral Frags?
The term frag is a colloquial term, typically substituted for the word “fragment”. In its simplest definition, a coral frag is a fragment, or small piece, of a larger colony. Corals can reproduce asexually, through a variety of processes, essentially creating clones of individual polyps. In this way, the technique of coral fragging is a way to increase the number of colonies of a coral species in a relatively short period of time.
How do coral frags work?
With proper techniques, one large coral colony can produce many smaller colonies, either through natural or artificial fragmentation, or “fragging.” Some coral species, especially soft corals like Sarcophyton and Capnella regularly pinch off and drop sections of the main colony to create “daughter colonies”. In stony corals, such as Acropora, tools can be used to carefully break off small pieces of the colony containing polyps and tissue and attached to a solid surface. In time, these can grow as large as the original colony.
Fragmenting corals also reduces the strain on wild coral collecting, as one wild-caught colony can be carefully fragged, resulting in several colonies that can be shipped around the world.
The Fragging Process
There are several ways to frag corals, but for the sake of simplicity, let’s compare soft corals and stony coral techniques.
- Soft Corals: Because soft corals do not have a stony skeleton, they are typically much easier to cut. As stated above, some soft corals may do the actual splitting for you. In other cases, you can take sharp scissors or a scalpel blade and carefully slice off a branch. For aesthetic purposes, try cutting near the base of a branch, or in a section near the back of your colony.
- Stony Corals: Depending on the thickness of your stony coral, there are a variety of tools you can use to break off a fragment of coral. Bone cutters are often a good tool to split moderately thick colonies. In other cases, you may use a coral-cutting saw. As with soft corals, cut at the base of a branch or a narrow location, minimizing any stress to the colony. Larger openings can interfere with a coral’s ability to regulate nutrient uptake from the water and can slow repair and growth from the cut.
The size of the fragment can be as large as you wish, or in some cases, just a few polyps. Be sure that whatever size you choose to cut, that there are viable polyps and a flat enough base to secure it to a solid surface.
Attachment
Again, depending on your coral of choice, the attachment process can vary.
- Soft Corals: For Mushrooms that produce a lot of mucus, such as Ricordea or Rhodactis, superglue or coral putty may not be an option. If time allows, consider allowing the coral to settle on a plug or substrate in an undisturbed location.
For Leather and Tree Corals, find a plug with a hole in it, and push fine fishing line or a small zip tie through the base of your coral. This is a practice that may be most successful with thicker, soft corals, such as Sarcophyton or Lobophytum. After a few weeks, the coral will have had time to adhere to the plug and the fishing line can be removed.
- Stony Corals: Stony Coral frags should have a flat base, which allows for maximum contact with the plug. There are a variety of materials available to attach a stony coral frag, including super glue, coral glue and coral putty. For products made specifically for corals, follow the instructions from the manufacturer.
Superglue is a popular, inexpensive material used to attach coral frags to plugs. Apply a small amount of superglue to the base of the coral and to the plug, and hold together for a few seconds or until secure. The superglue should secure it within minutes, but be sure to allow a proper curing time if placing in an area where other organisms may bump it.
After your frag has been attached to the plug, it can be put in place. There are “plug rocks”, made specifically to secure coral plugs. If you are looking for function over appearance, egg crate can be used to suspend the coral frag in the water column and off the bottom.
Tools for Fragging Coral
Fragging corals is no small undertaking. For success, there are some tools and considerations to take under advisement. This process can be messy, so it is best practice to do as much of this outside of your display tank as possible. If you are taking a frag from a large display colony, the first cut may occur in-tank, and then the plug attachment could take place in a saltwater filled tote.
Protect your surfaces with towels, either cloth or paper, from saltwater, sharp tools, and attachment materials. Because super glue (and others) cure quickly, it is easier to protect a surface beforehand than attempt to clean it in the middle of the procedure.
As mentioned before, the actual cutting tool depends on the type of coral. Scissors, scalpels, bone cutters, and more can be used. If it is used in saltwater, be sure to thoroughly clean it before and after. You will also need a plug, loose substrate, rock, or other attachment point. Ideally, you will have this prepped and ready before starting.
Safety is always important, in this case both for the people and the coral. Minimize handling of corals to limit stress. Small cut points lower the risk of osmoregulatory stress, which in turn limits the time of recovery. Wearing gloves will protect both the person handling the coral and the coral itself. A container to transport the coral without exposing it to air is also useful.
Coral Frag Concerns and Troubleshooting
With a process this in depth, there are always possible problems that can come along. Here are a few possible scenarios, with some suggestions to resolve:
- Too small a piece: While micro-fragging adds another layer of technique to this process, there are times when the cut fragment is simply too small. In these cases, there are often not enough viable polyps left to create a new colony. In this case, it may be necessary to cut a new, larger fragment from the original colony.
- Incorrect cut: This is a vague way of saying many things. It could refer to a cut being in the wrong place aesthetically, such as mid branch instead of at the base. It could be a diagonal or crude cut, resulting in a bumpy attachment point. Or, it could mean a cut through a polyp, which likely results in the death of that individual polyp. If the fragment is large enough, this can sometimes be remedied by a cut near the base, to smooth it out. While cutting through a polyp may mean death to that individual, the fragment may have enough viable polyps to continue growing. And while mid-branch cuts aren’t always pretty, healthy corals can continue growing and eventually cover the blank space.
- Tissue Damage: Rough handling and cutting with sharp tools can damage delicate coral tissue quite easily. However, we can minimize damage by cutting in a relatively thin point, minimal handling, and forethought. Have a plan of what steps you will take, and then take them in order. Always keep corals underwater, and avoid touching soft tissue, especially in large polyp stony corals, as much as possible.
- Incorrect Placement/Falling off a Rock: Once the coral is secured to a plug, it is possible that they are knocked out of place, whether that is by eventual growth and weight redistribution or by a fish grazing nearby. If it is knocked off the plug, you may need to reattach it, using whatever material you are comfortable with. Readjust the position or use some superglue or coral putty to secure.
Fragging coral is no small undertaking, but it is incredibly satisfying to be a part of creating a new colony. With proper planning and the correct tools, this process can be enjoyable and exciting!