Jestersix

Anyone ever fragged Zoas in the tank?

Bruce Spiegelman

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I've got a bunch of colonies that are outgrowing others, but on rocks that aren't removable in the tank. Many of them have slightly elongated stems. Can I just cut the stem and ignore the mat? It should be easy to do with something like surgical scissors I'm thinking.

I figure if I do just a few at a time while running carbon the 120 gallon DT shouldn't be adversely affected.
 
I’m also interested in the answer to this. I’m growing a zoa garden on a large rock I’d rather not have to remove when it comes time to trim.

For me it’s 2 questions:

- If you cut the “stem” rather than the mat will they survive?
- If you frag zoas in your tank with carbon and skimmer running are you risking the other inhabitants?


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I'd say try to get a small chunk of the rock with the bone cutters rather than chopping the stem. I've done it in tank plenty. No worries imo. Maybe if you are cutting a ton it could be an issue.
 
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I’m also interested in the answer to this. I’m growing a zoa garden on a large rock I’d rather not have to remove when it comes time to trim.

For me it’s 2 questions:

- If you cut the “stem” rather than the mat will they survive?
- If you frag zoas in your tank with carbon and skimmer running are you risking the other inhabitants?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
did it once because was curious and cut the stem halfway on a rasta, it survived and started making baby polyps around it after 2 weeks.
I normally frag zoas in the tank, and either by using bone cutters or by using my finger nails and digging underneath the polyp and pulling it off.
 
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did it once because was curious and cut the stem halfway on a rasta, it survived and started making baby polyps around it after 2 weeks.
I normally frag zoas in the tank, and either by using bone cutters or by using my finger nails and digging underneath the polyp and pulling it off.
Not safe to use you fingers. I would seriously avoid that.
 
Okay -- so the takeaway from this is it's okay and a reasonable practice to use bonecutters and clip the stem of a few at a time to prune back? Especially in a larger system?
 
Ok -- I cut four tonight. Two Kedd's Reds and Two Sunny D's. I would have liked to do more, but found out I only had four small frag plugs left. If it works it's an easy way to frag. I used bone cutters which makes it easy to grasp under the head. If I keep doing it this way though I think I need a new sharp pair of bonecutters. Mine have been used to cut too much rock and stuff over the last few years so that made it a little tough.
 
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