War Coral Needs to be Reigned In, how?

[mess7777]

I have a war coral that I really like and it's expanded amazingly.

However, it's now encroaching on a Stylophora and not too far from bothering a birdsnest and I can see where it is receding on it's frag plug to avoid the war coral. I placed the war coral high in the tank, it was one of the first corals I purchased and that's the first place the frag plug fit. Needless to say, it's now part of the rock it's attached to. This is a nice piece of fiji rock that forms an arc and I would hate to mess with that. Not to mention all the other corals attached to it.

Is there anything I can do to block the war coral from growing anymore towards the SPS, without having to take the rock out and frag pieces of it? It's attached to the rocks below with zip ties as well, it would be a big pain. I assume fragging in-tank is not recommended?

Any advice is appreciated.

PS : It's much preferred to have this problem compared to my usual "everything is going to die" type questions.

 

[usmc121581]

If you have pieces of rubble rock laying around or a piece of LR you dont like place pieces next to it, as it grows onto it break that piece off and give it away, trade it, or sell it to someone else. Then replace it with another peice of live rock and replace. This is what I do with my Xenia, favia's, etc. Its easy then just relocating it.

 

[mess7777]

If you have pieces of rubble rock laying around or a piece of LR you dont like place pieces next to it, as it grows onto it break that piece off and give it away, trade it, or sell it to someone else. Then replace it with another peice of live rock and replace. This is what I do with my Xenia, favia's, etc. Its easy then just relocating it.

That may work, if I put a rock overpreexisting coral it will likely die off underneath and grow onto the new piece. Problem is it's already touching the frag plug. I like the idea though.

So simpy cutting it out with a scalpal to seperate the rock that I put in there will work without damaging the coral? I have never fragged before.

 

[discocarp]

I frag favias and favites with a hammer and chisel, and almost every little piece makes it no matter how badly I treat it. I am NOT gentle with them. They're really durable, although when they go they tend to go quickly. That's rare for me though.

 

[jimsplace]

You could cover it with epoxy putty or put a kalk paste on it to kill off the leading edge.

 

[mess7777]

I move the stylophora out of the way for now. As you can see it is encroaching on the red monti and has already got a few tips of the birdsnest(i broke a dead piece off just before this picture.

Kalk paste seems a scary. If i went in there with a scalpal and cut it would i then be able to seperate the piece from the rock? Or would I somehow have the break the piece of rock as well?

 

[discocarp]

When they spread across the rock like that I usually have to chisel the rock along with the coral. It might be worth pulling that rock out and trying to split it. A hammer and a beefy flathead screwdriver you don't care about works pretty well. Put the screwdriver tip where you want the rock to break and whack it with the hammer. Sometimes you have to do it in a few places before the rock splits.

 

[justhaag]

frag it and send it to me

 

[mess7777]

When they spread across the rock like that I usually have to chisel the rock along with the coral. It might be worth pulling that rock out and trying to split it. A hammer and a beefy flathead screwdriver you don't care about works pretty well. Put the screwdriver tip where you want the rock to break and whack it with the hammer. Sometimes you have to do it in a few places before the rock splits.

That's a bummer. This rock is attached with epoxy and tie wraps as it's built high and narrow. For the moment it seems ok after moving the stylo, so at least I have some time to brainstorm.

 

[jgraz]

Use the epoxy putty as said above. Put it on the leading edge. It will kill the coral underneath it and then start growing over it. Occasionally just harvest the new growth by taking out the putty strip. Then place a new one. Sell the harvest. Use the purple putty and it will look nicer. I've done the same with montipora in the past and it worked great.