Traders of the Lost Frag

[Rebel]

So I was killing aptasia the other day when I needed to reach around a rock and inject on the far side--and I knocked a frag off the top of the reef. It was only 3/4" long, but was a cool one: green acro with large polyp scoops and long, hairy polyps. Of course it took a slow-motion tumble behind the reef between the largest (like 30lbs) rock and the back wall. It is a 30" deep tank, so no easy retrieval. But I really wanted to find it so I dismantled what little I could and went searching. I thought a bright green frag on a white sanded would be pretty straightforward. Which of course means it was nowhere to be seen. So I dug a bit with the tongs. I found tons of empty snail shells (if anyone was, you know, interested in buying them for $1K a handful or something) but no frag. So then I was ****ed--I mean, I have plenty of space behind the reef for flow, like 4 inches or more, so it should be RIGHT THERE! It got personal at that point, but the more I dug around the more sand cloud I stirred up. I took a break to take out some frustration on more aptasia and returned to the hunt. Finally, after nearly an hour, I called off the search. RIP short hairy green one.

Anyway, I know this is not a unique occurrence, so I was wondering what you all have "lost" in the reef (perhaps to be found at a later date)? Let's trade stories . . .

 

[SteveT]

I had a frag of sunflower zoas that I wedged in a hole in a rock. Little did I know the hole was just big enough for the frag to pop through, once a snail or something pushed on it. This was a huge 50lbs rock and It was lost inside. I assumed this frag to be lost forever until 2+ months later I am cleaning the tank and notice a frag plug with some closed up zoas on it. Low and behold these things survived over 2 months inside a rock with little to no light. They took a while to open and even longer to regain their original color, but they are now healthy and growing!

 

[ReeferMatt]

I recently lost my little frag of tubbs blue zoas.... There they were nestled deep in a small hole in a very porous rock, the next day when the lights came on.... nothing. I have searched long and hard for them but it was such a small frag mounted on a chip of rock that I'm sure the current carried it to the depths of the reef.... sad day indeed, and one more DBTC that I can not repay!