fragging

RealReef7

New member
If I want to frag a piece of my kenya tree can I cut the piece in the water? Or will it release some kind of toxin? Thanks.
 
As oldreefer mentions, they will often drop branches on their own to form frags. However, if you don't want to wait on it, you can cut it under water, but I'd recommend pulling it out of the water column. Softies contain a lot of toxins (including some level of palytoxin in many cases-I guess people can freak out about that, too, now...). The release of toxins usually isn't a real concern, unless you have a nicely mixed reef, but if you have to cut in the tank, run some carbon to help take care of the toxins and maybe think about a water change. Carbon being harmful is debatable in some circles (I use it 24/7 in my tanks), but a WC never hurts (unless your water or salt is bad;)).
 
Cutting some Kenya in the 120g is no big deal the small release of any toxins in that water volume would be negligible, Palytoxins only come from Palythoa and some zooanthids and can be quite toxic to tank inhabitants not to mention humans they should be fragged in seperate water columns and gloves and protective eye wear should be worn also. The carbon debate is mute any more it has been proven that it has no detrimental causes
 
Well I just got myself a frag yipee! Yes I run carbon 24/7. Now hopefully this thing grows into a nice colony.
 
Wow. A little grumpy, huh? I was just stating my experiences on fragging. And soft corals do contain levels of palytoxin;). Besides, an ounce of prevention, right? No need to be alarmist, but in my opinion, that's what the palytoxin reports have become. There are at least thousands of different compounds in our tanks of which we know little about the effects. Any one or a combination of two or more could cause some sort of allergic reaction in a given person. Common sense in personal protection is expected, but so many are scared to death that they own something that could kill them. But that's obvioulsy a moot point and why I don't post on it anymore. We love to be afraid of something, right?

I use carbon 24/7 and have never had more detriment than benefit, but some refuse to use it based on the PO4 released from most brands of carbon. Some brands release more than others, but nearly all tested released something (independent study at Vanderbilt University by a Chem E grad student several years ago). When speaking in absolutes, one is seldom correct, but that also appears to be a moot point as so many do it...

Good luck with the new frag, RealReef7. IME, they can start dropping babies on a regular basis once they start being fragged. I've had similar experiences with toadstools. Once I started cutting them, they'd start dropping little trimmings from around the edge regularly. It got to be undesireable because it never really fully extended polyps for a year or so. I didn't have to cut it after the first two or three times, though. My other tree like octocorals don't drop babies, though (just Capnella)
 
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