Need some input on how to frag zoas off of live rock...

[FinParadiseAquaticsLLC]

OK so I have a few rocks that have colonies of zoas on them. How do you exactly frag them? I don't have a band saw to cut the rock. Does anyone have a link of how to do it and on what I'm able to cut on the zoanthids? I'm more of a visual learner but a step by step guide would work too as long as its clear on instructions...

 

[project1004]

I think it depends on the type of the rock. Some rocks are very porous and some are not. Like Caribsea’s rock.

I have used chisels on the porous rocks like Marco rock and others like lava rocks, (lava rocks not good for reef) but it simply scrap it off.

Picture from my old tank for reference to you. Be careful as well~

 

[FinParadiseAquaticsLLC]

Very nice! Love all the colors in your tanks! I'm not too sure on what type of rock it is due to them covering the entire thing except for the bottom of course but still unsure of its type.

My phone doesn't like to take photos of our reefs but this is the rock with zoanthids. I think it's base rock. These were given to me so I'm not too sure of the type of rock or the ID of the zoas. In person the middle part where the mouth is isn't yellow it's actually pink.

 

[Rainblood]

theres no easy way to do it...but if it were me i'd take the rock out and use bone cutters to cut out pieces of rock directly under the "foot" of the zoas (starting from the outside growing edge of the zoa mass) and then use a razor to cut any connecting tissue.
actually if it was me - i'd just leave it alone but if you had to...

 

[FinParadiseAquaticsLLC]

theres no easy way to do it...but if it were me i'd take the rock out and use bone cutters to cut out pieces of rock directly under the "foot" of the zoas (starting from the outside growing edge of the zoa mass) and then use a razor to cut any connecting tissue.
actually if it was me - i'd just leave it alone but if you had to...

I know there's no actual easy way of doing it. I have more of this particular zoanthid on multiple rocks big and small so I was just wanting to frag this rock out to start selling since I run a business with freshwater, I started with salt earlier this year to bring in more customers since most of my customers do both fresh and salt. This is the only reason why I'm wondering about fragging this rock.

 

[Steve Burton]

If you're just wanting to propagate Frags what I do is glue some small pieces of rubble on the rock, once the zoas grow onto it they can be broken off

 

[FinParadiseAquaticsLLC]

Alright I'll try that out first. I'm just not too sure if it has any space on it to that though but will check this evening once we get home from work. Thank you everyone. Everyone else can still leave their reply with more thoughts and input. I'm always willing to learn multiple ways to do things.

 

[Steve Burton]

Just squeeze it in there it'll be fine. A few polyps may be distressed which will put it in survival mode and make more grow more quickly.

 

[FinParadiseAquaticsLLC]

Alright I'll give that a go first. I also notice that on my other rocks with zoas, they have been creeping off into the sand bed and just chilling there with out being attached to rock. Will they continue to survive where they are at or should I just pick them off the sand bed and glue them to rock? There's only 3 damselfish, a mandarin and a pj cardinal. They don't mess with them.