Snip, Snip!

[caja]

I know I should post this in the coral forum, bur frankly, the coral forum doesn't get much action.

 

My button polyp frag that I got a month or so ago is growing quite nicely and it's time to trim off a section that is hanging off the side of the LR out in the middle of the tank. It's attached by a very small piece of tissue, smaller than the width of a pencil. Every time I walk by the tank I think about grabbing the scissors and having at it, but since I've never down this before, I thought I'd better check real quick to make sure I don't kill the whole colony. so can I just snip it off and epoxy it down someplace?

 

Thanks!!

Adrienne

[tinyreef]

try a razor blade or one of those sharp pen knives. a quick 'slice' is easier than a 'snip' especially if it's flat (relatively) on the rock. then you can peel it back.

 

do it in a separate bin if possible and keep a cup of tank water near for rinsing. but if it's just hanging there then just cut the little bugger off! (snip!)

 

don't forget to wash your hands!

[caja]

Thanks Tiny!

[Korbin]

Be careful with fragging zoanthids and button polyps especially. If I were you, I would wear nitrile gloves (not latex) and wash with soap and hot water afterward. Don't rub your eyes, or eat with your hands without washing them really well. And make sure you don't have any open cuts or scrapes exposed to the water. I would also remove the rock from the tank to do the fragging, for your fish/other corals' sake.

In case you weren't aware, some button polyps and zoanthids release palyotoxins when injured. A small amount can kill you in a matter of minutes. There is plenty of info about this on ReefCentral. - the thread started when somebody's dog died after slurping up some tank water after fragging polyps.

[caja]

Yeah, I read that thread. Thankfully the polyp is on a small rock that I can take out of the tank. When I do my water change on Mon. I'll put some of that water into a bowl to rinse the polyp and frag off before attaching the new frag onto the same rock and putting it back in the tank. I wouldn't even bother normally, but this particular cluster of new polyp growth is hanging off the side of the rock, attached only by a thin piece of tissue.

 

I had a dream the other night that I cut it in the tank and glued it down and it started spewing this brown goo that clouded the whole tank and killed everything. Ugh!

[zizmans]

Also make sure you dump and clean the bowl right away if you have other pets. I've read some really bummer catdog goes and drinklick water from bowlbucktoff of floor. I'm sure you can piece it together.