help fragging a goniopora

[willray]

Pic of flowerpot I was going to sell 'cause it's getting to big for my 55.I don't want to sell it was one of my first corals.You can see with the polyps retracted it's 3 larger nodes and the bleaching on the top was from me touching it before the polyps withdrew(I think).Can I plit this in three without doing much damage to the coral? thanks

 

[Greg Hiller]

Bec's the expert on Goniporas. Myself....I'd just take a hammer and chisel and be done in a few seconds. BTW, I'd love a chuck of it if you are willing.

 

[wrassefan]

I don't think you can frag the green...not sure....I know the green drops babies instead tho.

 

[willray]

Hey Bec,

What do you think? I know you used a saw on your red one. Can I take this out of the tank and chunk it up with a hammer and chisel without doing it much harm?
Greg, I'm willing.If all goes well that is.

 

[reefnroll]

Bill -

Disclaimer: You could lose your coral if you try to frag it, or you could lose others to infection that sets in to that coral afterwards. I can't tell you what'll work, or what won't with absolute certaintly. I've only done this once myself.... and blah, blah, blah...

Now for the cheerleading:
Why the hell not!???! Looks like a perfeect triptych (sp?) to me. If you have a good place to keep the chunks afterwards... good flow all around for each, you could certainly try. Make sure your tools are really clean (and wear eye protection to guard against flying pieces) and do the deed as quickly as possible since the coral will be out of water and stressed during the operation.

Good luck if you decide to go... (and pics please!)

b

 

[willray]

Thanks Bec,
1 more ? How did it go for you that one time?

Thanks

 

[reefnroll]

Bill -

I thought you saw my colony and frags when you were here a few days ago?
Here's the thread I posted on the process last week.

http://www.bostonreefers.org/forums/showthread.php?t=15317

b

 

[frank180reef]

What are the tricks/secrets for keeping the red or green alive and thriving. ?..

Frank

 

[Greg Hiller]

I'm no expert on Gonipora as I only have one small colony that seems to be doing okay. In general the trick, IMO and from what I have read, is to NEVER purchase the species that most shops carry! I believe this is the Gonipora stokesi, which is typically green and nearly perfectly spherical in shape. Word has it that the red species (not sure you can really indicate species by color, but...) does quite well, pricey though.

 

[PenMan]

Justin from Fin and Feather in Groton CT spoke about Goniporia at Macna this year. He has agreed to come up and do the talk next spring. We are working on the details. Maybe you can hold out until the meeting.

He has been growing frags at the store for a while. I picked up a nice frag of the red there this weekend. Says that it is third generation. Oyster eggs are his food of choice.

 

[wrassefan]

.... Oyster eggs are his food of choice.

I thought it was tang poop from what I read from Rebecca's threads last year

 

[Chuck Spyropulos]

I still have my goniopora colony from last year's long road trip. It is the "red" type with the blue center and it is doing very well.

 

[reefnroll]

With all due respect to Justin/Fin & Feather...
I don't think we need to wait until Spring to talk about care and feeding of Goniopora... or even fragging for that matter . As Greg and Chuck have mentioned, they are being kept successfully by people right here in our club.

The red variety with purple/blue centers - at least the ones I've seen, and the one I own - are typically G. planulata. I have not fragged my frags (yet)... so I'm on second generation propogation, though I've had my parent colony for about 4.5 years.

There is another reddish/pink variety of Goniopora more readily available at LFSs. Thinner, more transparent polyps and no bright blue/purple centers. I believe that one is G. stuchburyi... not as colorful, and seems to thrive in less light than planulata. I had one... chopped it several times with no problems... then sold the chunks because the color didn't come close to my planulata.

Food - As Andy suggests... Tang crap. Periodic doses of phyto, the smallest golden pearls, even a baster blast of nastiness from the bottom of a protein skimmer (if you dare to go there). Nothing so expensive as oyster eggs necessary in my experience.

Lighting - Mine is on the sand, under 250 Metal halides... so I'd say 'good' lighting, without suggesting anything up on the rocks toward the 'strong' lighting end of things.

Flow - Of great importance, in my opinion... alternating and not too harsh.

b

 

[frank180reef]

summary

thanks for all the info,

I have a red one that seems to be doing ok, I have had it for 6 months. The green one is the standard round and bright green,

So to summarize,

turkey baste it with Phyto, iron? and the black gunk from my protein skimmer?

it is ok under 250 W MI on sand,

Frank

 

[reefnroll]

frank180reef -

Iron? I didn't mention feeding iron.

Phyto for the whole tank (no need to direct feed). Go easy on the skimmer gunk... but yeah... a little every once in a while seems like a 'treat' for Gonis. I initially got that suggestion from Borneman on the RC forum.

I have my Goniopora planulata placed in the same place, under the same lighting you've described... in great, random flow - don't forget the flow - ... and it has done very well.

b

 

[Bidadari]

This thread makes me want to try keeping Red Goni.
Their color is definetely unbeatable. Got to read some more about them at RC.

 

[frank180reef]

thanks!

 

[willray]

Bill -

I thought you saw my colony and frags when you were here a few days ago?
Here's the thread I posted on the process last week.

http://www.bostonreefers.org/forums/showthread.php?t=15317

b

Yes I did see that!When you mentioned that you had done it once I thought you were referring to the triptych.

would it be wise to dip in louguls or similiar after the split? there is going to be some damaged (where the splits occur)correct? Would wearing a pair of surgical style gloves help ?and last one Would it be a dumb idea to wrap the coral in stretch wrap to minimize contact with me tools board...?
Thanks

 

[reefnroll]

Bill -

You should use your own judgement with some of this stuff... 'cause you might discover a way of doing this that is better than anything we might suggest!

I can tell you that I always try to wear surgical gloves when fragging... and I sometimes wear goggles also.
I don't wrap the corals I frag in anything before fragging.
I don't ever dip after fragging... unless I'm fragging a coral that is being fragged due to recession or some other malady.
Greg does more of this smash and run kind of fragging than I. He may have a different thought about the dipping.

b

 

[willray]

Not trying to drag this on. But!! I'm a virgin at this and want to be safe.
"smash and run" = hammer and chisel
It seems sawing would be less of a shock!? Although it would probably takes several minutes to cut and a couple to give it a good whack or two. What is a long period of time for a coral to be out of the water?
Thanks for all the help.