Fragging Zoas?

film it and put it on youtube so i can learn also i want a polyp /DesktopModules/ActiveForums/themes/_default//emoticons/wink.gif

 

The question is what do you have in the way of tools. Also If you want since you are in the area You can bring them by and I can show you. I have a large rainbow rock that I need to split up that is full of zoas. If not heres whatcha need.

Bone cutters preferable. or bolt cutters for snipping rocks. A dremel is super helpful.
A clean knife, surgical knife. or utility blade preferably a couple shapes. and a good eye for where you are going to cut.

It's really best shown rather than described but zoas are super hardy. what you will do is score he rock the best you can and snip it till it breaks and find the backside of the break line on the front of the corals. then make smooth clean cuts across the zoas where the fracture is...

 

as long as I have been doing this I still dont know the various zoas fancy names... but if you want to practice I have a mixed green, green/red and red zoa rock that needs to be blitzed appart for propagation.

Pm me if you are interested.

 

Sounds good! Just let me know.

 

Zach, I wouldn't mind watching you frag some zoas sometime if you want to put on a little fragging demo.

 

I will check with Kyle and see, I think we have a June meet coming up and I would love to meet some of the GIRS members in person and demo some zoa fragging for sure!








* Edit due to content typo (!!!Yikes)

 

You know, one thing I didn’t mention in the list of stuff which I took for granted. and to let everyone know. Many Zoa contain a deadly palytoxin, a powerful Vasoconstrictor (toxin in which constricting of blood vessels occurs.) it is not only super super toxic but can be deadly. You want to wear gloves when fragging zoas ( and anything which is why I didn’t mention it SORRY) as well as eye protection from squirting. Gloves are to protect mucous membranes as well as as the frag. I have heard tales of people losing eyes to the stuff. So be careful if you are going to go at it yourself!

Again I am so sorry I was flippant about this earlier. I just assumed that everyone would/will be wearing gloves. Bad move considering how new to the forums I am!!!

 

I have a saw....makes fragging zoos super easy...just have to be careful about cuts and not kill to many in the process. Eye and glove protection is a must. Also it is a really good idea to have some iodine...(i use lugols solution). Helps to put freshly cut zoos in it to start the healing process and keep infection down.

 

do you dilute the iodine solution?

 

You guys want to plan something that's great. I will do my best to attend. My son has baseball Heavy in June but I figured we would work in a BBQ or something. Plan it and that would be great it would be one thing off my plate that would help me.
Thanks

 

I frag zoas all the time. Have at least 300 frags right now for sale. When it comes to zoas on rocks, the easiest way is with a coral saw. Second easiest is going to be a Dremel. Just be careful that the Dremel doesn't kick/slip and you or something gets hurt/damaged. Since Rastas are such a small poylp, I would suggest that you have at least 3 polyps. I prefer 5 minimum . The reason I say this is due to their smaller polyp size, I find that their colonial nature makes them easier to feed and thus less likely to starve. I learned this lesson the hard way as I had several Rasta frags with 2-3 polyps not make it:9( I'm sure they didn't get the nutrients they needed. Good luck and congrats on the Rasta's score! If you're ever looking for more zoas, I can probably hook you up as I quit counting at 50 different varieties :0) I also sell at the Frag Fests :0)

 

Polyp size can vary a little depending on flow, lighting and nutrients. Zoa's can also morph causing changes in colors(especially) and size.

 

Yeah I have a seperate container with tank water and put drops in until it turns slightly orange. You dont have to put in a alot.