Earlier today I was writing an email about fragging and thought I would see what the general community had to say as well. I have some firmly held beliefs on the appropriate frag size and practices relating to healing time, dipping and aquaculture. I thought it might be good to start a guide for others, and also to share tips, expectations and good guidelines.
I know when I acquire frags at shows or from a LFS I look for several indicators that I am getting a healthy frag. Often with trades and DBTC's we are not afforded the luxury of inspection or just deciding to pass on a frag without upsetting someone.
1. Size, again the one inch rule.
This may not be the standard for everyone but I like to make sure that my frags are at least one inch. A quick search of internet frag shops reveals that this is the standard in the industry and in my opinion not only provides the best chance of survivability, but also tends to be what customers expect.
2. Polyp extension, a happy frag is a healthy frag.
Not always possible, but good extension is a good sign that the frag is doing well, and adjusting.
3. Pests and nuisanse algae.
We have all seen it in LFS and in our own frag racks. It's not necessarily a deal breaker but it is certainly less desirable when the plug is covered in bubble algae, flatworms or other nuisances. Dipping will help, but sometimes you just have to break out the toothbrush.
4. Frag attachment.
Yes, ideally we all want to see the frag encrusting the plug and showing signs of post frag growth. This is rarely the case but I shoot for at least a week between fragging and trading/DBTC.
5. Accurate representation.
We have all seen pics on ebay and some coral sites where the hue and colorization scream photo shop! I hesitate to buy these corals because I worry about what the coral will really look like when I receive it. We all know that under different lighting a coral will look different, but some pics make coral appear to be something it will never really be. For this I love phone pics and unedited "raw" DLSR photos. When posting I rarely edit beyond lightening or darkening the image or in some rare cases adjusting the hue of washed out pics. This of course is why I buy very few corals online, unless I trust the vendor.
I know we have all been to a DBTC Swap or made a trade where the frag was little more than a 1/4 inch nub, glued to the plug that morning. I know I'm disappointed when I get one like that, not just because I put more time, care and value into my end of a trade, but also because I am doubtfull as to the corals ability to thrive when I get it home.
In closing I guess the point I want to stress is that if your coral is not big enough to frag at least an inch off of, without looking like you hacked half your colony apart, it is not ready to frag. If you know a frag swap is coming up and you want to participate, frag your corals as early as possible and allow them time to heal, the person who gets your coral will appreciate it and if this becomes the norm you will be happier with the coral you receive.
I would love to hear the opinions, experiences and practices of other members, so long as it stays positive, after all this post is intended to be informative and helpful. What is your fragging process, what tools, dips and guidelines do you use?
I know when I acquire frags at shows or from a LFS I look for several indicators that I am getting a healthy frag. Often with trades and DBTC's we are not afforded the luxury of inspection or just deciding to pass on a frag without upsetting someone.
1. Size, again the one inch rule.
This may not be the standard for everyone but I like to make sure that my frags are at least one inch. A quick search of internet frag shops reveals that this is the standard in the industry and in my opinion not only provides the best chance of survivability, but also tends to be what customers expect.
2. Polyp extension, a happy frag is a healthy frag.
Not always possible, but good extension is a good sign that the frag is doing well, and adjusting.
3. Pests and nuisanse algae.
We have all seen it in LFS and in our own frag racks. It's not necessarily a deal breaker but it is certainly less desirable when the plug is covered in bubble algae, flatworms or other nuisances. Dipping will help, but sometimes you just have to break out the toothbrush.
4. Frag attachment.
Yes, ideally we all want to see the frag encrusting the plug and showing signs of post frag growth. This is rarely the case but I shoot for at least a week between fragging and trading/DBTC.
5. Accurate representation.
We have all seen pics on ebay and some coral sites where the hue and colorization scream photo shop! I hesitate to buy these corals because I worry about what the coral will really look like when I receive it. We all know that under different lighting a coral will look different, but some pics make coral appear to be something it will never really be. For this I love phone pics and unedited "raw" DLSR photos. When posting I rarely edit beyond lightening or darkening the image or in some rare cases adjusting the hue of washed out pics. This of course is why I buy very few corals online, unless I trust the vendor.
I know we have all been to a DBTC Swap or made a trade where the frag was little more than a 1/4 inch nub, glued to the plug that morning. I know I'm disappointed when I get one like that, not just because I put more time, care and value into my end of a trade, but also because I am doubtfull as to the corals ability to thrive when I get it home.
In closing I guess the point I want to stress is that if your coral is not big enough to frag at least an inch off of, without looking like you hacked half your colony apart, it is not ready to frag. If you know a frag swap is coming up and you want to participate, frag your corals as early as possible and allow them time to heal, the person who gets your coral will appreciate it and if this becomes the norm you will be happier with the coral you receive.
I would love to hear the opinions, experiences and practices of other members, so long as it stays positive, after all this post is intended to be informative and helpful. What is your fragging process, what tools, dips and guidelines do you use?
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