How To Frag Coral? [Step by Step Guide]

Corals are highly rewarding, especially in saltwater tanks. Not only do they increase the beauty of the aquarium, but they also serve as a food source for herbivores, carnivores, and planktivores fish. But sometimes, you must frag them to prevent them from taking over other corals. And to do that, you must know how to frag coral.

To frag corals, first pull out the coral you want to frag with its rocks or stone and use a pair of scissors to cut fragments of it. Then place the frags in a water bowl filled with tank water. Take out the frags, glue them to the frag plug, or attach them to live rocks using rubber bands and set them in their new location.

Fragging coral is not as challenging as many people might think. But people often fail in this task due to the lack of proper guidelines, which is why I prepared this article. So if you want to learn about fragging corals and some essential tricks and tips, I urge you to read the full article.

What Are Coral Frags? How Does It Work?

Before I give you the basic definition, here is a bit from my own experience. I always heard the word “coral frag” whenever I visited my pro aquarist friend and other hobbyists. As I was a beginner at the time, I had very little idea and interest in it.

And then, one day, I visited a fish/aquarium retailer shop and found coral frag on sale. That is how I came to learn about fragging and mounting coral.

It turned out that the word frag is the short form for coral fragment or fragmentation. They really are pieces or fragments of an original and larger coral colony. Until they grow large enough, they are referred to as frag because of their smaller size.

Let me also mention the frag plug, where the coral is mounted to grow. But you can use your aquarium rubbles instead of plugs to mount to frag.

Coral frags are very popular among aquarists, beginners, and pros because they are not expensive as a fully-grown coral colony. Besides, owning a small frag and then witnessing it grow over time is satisfying for many owners.

How Coral Fragging Works?

Before you learn how to frag coral, it is essential to know why you do it and if there is no harm in doing so. Besides, fragging corals is more than planting them in a different area.

Coral fragging is basically breaking, cutting, or subdividing a fully-grown coral colony. Breaking them apart or cutting fragments might seem like a cruel thing to do. But you should know that corals are naturally self-healers. They can survive even when being cut and taken apart from the original colony.

You can imagine it with the rough situations they go through in the sea, such as strong currents and hurricanes. Corals break apart because of natural reasons all the time, yet they establish new colonies in their new locations. Coral frag is similar, but the entire situation occurs in your saltwater aquarium.

They heal themselves gradually in their newly planted environment and grow and establish their new colony. This specialty of corals has always been present in their DNA, making them suitable for fragging or laboratory experiments. And since corals are capable of healing, establishing, and reproducing on their own, fragmenting them actually helps them grow in different areas and expand more.

After fragging the corals, you plant them on what we call the “frag plug”. It is a surface that offers stability to plant the frags. And, over time, the coral adheres to the provided surface. You can use live rock as frag plants to offer more stability.

And the rest will be done by the coral themselves as they do not need any special treatment to grow and breed. You can keep them in the same light, flow, and water condition as you regularly maintain for your fish tank.

How To Frag Coral: A Step-By-Step Guide

Supply:

• Corals
• Piece of live rock rubble or a frag plug
• Small bowl with tank water
• Reef glue

Tools:

• A pair of scissors
• Rubber band
• Frag plugs
• Band-aids
• Safety kits and equipment
• Gloves
• Hairbands
• Safety Goggles

Additional Read: How to frag zoas

Which Coral Is Best For Fragging? – Choose The Right Species

Slow down a little bit before you start fragging any coral. Well, technically speaking, you CAN frag ANY coral because they work in pretty much the same way. However, if you are a starter, you will not want to go for something that has complexity.

It means you need to be picky with the coral species. Doing that helps you work with more precision without going through much hassle. So, which are the best coral species for fragging?

Mushroom Corals

Mushroom corals are the first and best choice for beginners. These hardiest yet soft corals grow rapidly like mushrooms with a base and mushroom-like top. The base keeps growing until they become a full-size coral. Mushroom corals require frequent fragging because of their rapid growth and tendency to take over other corals faster. Fragging mushroom corals require the simplest tasks and are less time-consuming.

Candy Cane Corals

If you need a second choice for fragging coral as a beginner, candy cane coral is also an excellent option. They are very peaceful and live in harmony with other reef residents. These corals have the perfect anatomy for beginners to frag them with ease. While you can simply separate the fluffy polyp with your hands, I advise using a sharp cutter or pliers. And make sure not to go for the base when fragging them.

Toadstool Leather Corals

Toadstool leather corals are among the commonly found species and look mesmerizing with their swaying movement in the reef tank. If you have clown fish in your tank, you will notice them getting comfier in these corals. While fragging toadstool leather corals are pretty straightforward, it is best if you use a pair of scissors to frag them. But make sure to wash everything well before placing them into the tank because they release a toxic substance from the cut-out areas.

Acropora

Acropora basically claims about one-third of the coral reef environment. They are SPS or small polyp stony and grow well in favorable water conditions. Acropora appears vivid under moderate light, but intense light can cause discoloration. While they are not intensely fast-grower, Acropora often requires fragging for trading or growing in other locations. And instead of using sharp blades or scissors, you will need pliers to frag them.

Green Star Polyps

GSP or green star polyps are not something you will want in your tank unless you like fragging often or want a tank full of them. They grow so rapidly that it is challenging to maintain them without fragging the excessively growing parts. Since they grow like weeds, they start to take over tank pipes, walls, and pumps in a blink of an eye. Fragging these corals is necessary as they grow beyond the rocks. You would want to take parts of them off the rocks and other places more often than you think.

Torch Corals

Torch corals look like torch heads facing the tank top. These corals have a beautiful movement in moderate water flow and are not aggressive like most others. On the contrary, it is essential to ensure the tank fish do not attack them after placing them in the tank. Fragging them requires a bandsaw because they do well when you ensure a clean cut. And make sure to wash them well as torch corals release toxic substances when fragged.

Plate Coral

The unique coral species I have on this list is the plate coral. It has this funny name because the coral does look like an upside-down plate or saucer. And these corals have a month right in the middle. However, cutting them with a manual saw will not work. You will need a band saw to cut them like a pizza. And make sure each frag piece has a part of the coral’s eye.

When You Should Not Frag Corals?

Coral fragging is not always mandatory. People frag corals when they want to grow them in other areas, when they start taking over other coral colonies, or when someone wants to take some coral frags for themselves. And some aquarists choose not to frag corals because they do not see it as necessary. So, when should you not frag coral?

1. If You Want To Fill Your Tank With It

As I mentioned, not all aquarists have the same goal when it comes to reef tank corals. Some prefer to grow a full tank of them without worrying about fragging them. So if you plan to grow diverse species of corals and have a full tank of them, you do not need to frag them. You just provide them with what they need and leave them alone.

2. If The Coral Has A Slow Growth

Coral’s growth level depends on various factors, such as the species, water condition, environment, and what they eat. While some corals grow at a faster speed, others grow really slow. And in case you have such slow-growing corals, you might want to avoid fragging them.

3. If The Coral Is New

You should never frag new corals. Corals take some time to settle in a new environment and establish themselves. Give them a couple of months to get used to their inhabitants and then frag them based on their conditions.

Tips To Frag Corals

If you are fragging corals for the first time, here are some tips you should know before you start.

• Always wear protective gloves and glasses when fragging corals, as many of them release toxic substances.
• If you think handling the frags will be rough, you can wear protective clothing and tie your hair if they are long.
• Metal fragging tools must be washed with RO water if you do not want them to get rusty.
• Focus on how you cut them. While cutting into random shapes is okay, you can attach them to rocks, stones, or plugs better if you cut them into a good shape.
• Always make sure to dip freshly-fragged corals in a bowl of tank water before you attach them to the plus or stones. It gives the coral enough time to recover well from the injury.

Benefits Of Coral And Coral Frag For Marine Life

Corals are more like colonial organisms. They are not just one but many identical and individual polyps together. On the other hand, coral frags are fragments or pieces of grown coral colonies.

Corals are seen in a large number in the marine environment. While they claim only 1% of the ocean’s surface, they provide food, shelter, and breeding ground for around 25% of marine life. They have other benefits for saltwater aquariums and their inhabitants.

Corals are highly beneficial to the marine ecosystem, making them more valuable. It is a known fact that corals can support more marine species in a single unit than most other aquatic environments. Because of this diversity, coral reefs are called the Rainforest of the Sea.

Many fish and other sea creatures use coral and frags as a place to hide or seek food. Corals offer food resources for all kinds of fishes, many of which rely entirely on coral and coral frags for survival. For example, fishes like parrotfish eat microalgae from coral for their development, and their beak-like mouth finds it easier to devour them.

On the other hand, surgeonfish, who have smaller mouths, can also feast on microalgae from coral frags without any problem. At the same time, corals are jawfish’s favorite territory as they prey on small fishes living around the corals.

Many marine fishes have camouflage based on their surroundings to hide and protect themselves from predators. Coral and coral frags are an excellent option for them. It also helps them take their prey by surprise when hunting for food.

Coral frags are visually stunning. So are the fishes that inhabit them and reproduce. It helps enhance the appearance of the aquarium and make it attractive to people. And that is one of the many reasons why aquarists prefer having coral frags in their fish tanks.

Frequently Asked Questions

EndNote

Learning how to frag coral is fun for reef tank owners and hobbyists. However, as a beginner, knowing what type of coral would make your job easier and how you can frag them well is essential.

Remember that fragging is not essential but needs to be done in some cases. Also, it can help you prevent over-colonization of corals and spread different species by sharing them with other aquarists.