Help! My colt coral got gelded!

[fishtender]

My Colt coral is really quitw large and takes up the whole corner in my 55g reef. I know I need to frag it and perhaps sell some back to my LFS. It looks like someone aready did. I now have a nice size frag that looks as if it were cut with a knive. I suspect my Coral Banded. Could he be the guilty party? Now I don't know what to do with the frag. I have wanted to do this but not knowing how, I kept putting it off. I know that I have to stick him to a small rock with superglue containing cyanoacytate (sp). Do you take the coral out of the wtaer to do this or does superglue work in the water making it important to not expose that coral to the air?????

Thanks
Howard

 

[ReefLady]

That's pretty interesting that something sliced off a chunk of the Colt coral like a "frag". I'm not sure if a Coral Banded could (would) do this - strange.

IMO/IME, Colt corals are one of the most difficult frags to get to attach. I can almost guarantee you that superglue won't work with this coral. I've tried rubber bands, toothpicks, several different methods - only to have the Colt frag floating off within a couple days.

One method that I *finally* had success with - plastic tie wraps/aka "cable ties" (zip ties).

I find with these, I can "snug" them down just enough so that the frag doesn't escape the rock, but they don't tend to squeeze/cut through the coral like a rubber band does.

HTH!!

 

[fishtender]

Will the colt eventually attatch to the rock? If so, hoe long should it take to do so?

I agree that the coral banded probably didn't do it. It's claws are to small for the size frag i ended up with. It would be like cutting wrapping paper with cuticle scissors.

Howard

 

[ReefLady]

Yes, it should eventually attach. I'd say 2-3 weeks. We've done several colt frags this way.

Good luck!

 

[fishtender]

Thank you for your time. I will let you know how things turn out. This is really exciting. My first frag....aaaahhhhh!!!! ( I think it takes after it's mothers' side)

Howard

 

[ReefLady]

LOL - no problem!!

 

[WarOrks15]

also they sell glus that work for that stuff they work and dry under water and dry under water and dry rock hard and come in diferent color u might want tol look at that stuff

 

[Hara]

another way is to "cage it" in some netting placed over the rock. I am looking for small baskets, the kind that strawberries come in, to place over mine. Colt corals have got to be the hardest to get to attach.

 

[fishtender]

I managed to get him to attatch to a small piece of rock using superglue on the first try. I hope he stays there. He doesn't seem very happy right now, he is all shrivelled up. Perhaps he will feel better in the morning. I placed him in a quieter section of the tank. A bit darker and less water movement. Thanks for all the concern. I will keep you posted.

Howard