Hot and Heavy Topic!

[larryandlaura]

Depends again. I have never had a problem with z's & p's if you get a clean cut. I've fragged from one tank, put them into my other....again without acclimating and they were all opened back up within the hour. I've done this several times....fresh cuts and gave them (not sold) to other reefers who were over and liked my polyps. Just said, I'll cut you one. They usually opened up for them as soon as they hit the water w lights on. Haven't lost one yet.....

+1 I have witnessed Troy! Plus my blue hornet was fragged glued and sent home with me. Its doing well in my tank.

[Sir Patrick]

The thing about fresh fragged polyps that you want to be carefull with is shipping long distances, or the changing between 3 or more tanks within the first couple days, as it stresses an already irritated group of polyps.

I too have done fresh frags for people with good results, but seen many fresh fragged corals shipped and be very very stressed and melt.

I should also add-

The person and their experiance with fragging can directly impact the chances of success of a fresh frag. If you dont know or trust the fragger, and you are spending hard earned money, its best to be on the safe side and look for a nice healed frag vs. a fresh cut, in my experiance.

[bluwc]

The thing about fresh fragged polyps that you want to be carefull with is shipping long distances, or the changing between 3 or more tanks within the first couple days, as it stresses an already irritated group of polyps.

I too have done fresh frags for people with good results, but seen many fresh fragged corals shipped and be very very stressed and melt.

I should also add-

The person and their experiance with fragging can directly impact the chances of success of a fresh frag. If you dont know or trust the fragger, and you are spending hard earned money, its best to be on the safe side and look for a nice healed frag vs. a fresh cut, in my experiance.

I agree with that. I never cut unless I can get a clean cut, not worth losing a colony or polyps. I don't really ship, so what I cut gets tossed in a baggy and driven to it's next desitination within a couple of hours.

[rosebud161616]

The thing about fresh fragged polyps that you want to be carefull with is shipping long distances, or the changing between 3 or more tanks within the first couple days, as it stresses an already irritated group of polyps.

I too have done fresh frags for people with good results, but seen many fresh fragged corals shipped and be very very stressed and melt.

I should also add-

The person and their experiance with fragging can directly impact the chances of success of a fresh frag. If you dont know or trust the fragger, and you are spending hard earned money, its best to be on the safe side and look for a nice healed frag vs. a fresh cut, in my experiance.

I agree with this 100%. I think another big stressor people don't think about is swaps. Corals go through an awful lot that day and are away from tanks for almost as long as they would be if they were shipped, including traveling to the swap, setting up at the swap, selling at the swap, and the end buyer getting the coral home and acclimated. Not to mention there are a lot of buyers who don't "climate control" their corals at swaps. For example, they set up cups or baggies with water/corals sitting on the table. Without anything to keep them warm they can get cold very quickly, and not have a chance.

Add all of this to a fresh cut frag and it extremely reduces the chances that the corals have.

[MUCHO REEF]

Mallorie wrote

"So, this topic is about vendors and selling corals that were recently fragged. I have seen and heard at shows and online vendors selling newly fragged corals. Also, I have heard of many vendors ordering in corals the day of a show and bandsawing them a few hours before the doors to the show open. The vendor sells for cheap so people buy them. I believe we need to educate buyers on paying a little more for a healthy coral vs. buying a cheaper one that is likely to die if not cared for properly. Any ideas on this? Has anyone seen this behavior? BTW- this has to do with all corals, not just zoas and palys"

I always look to see if it's encrusted. As well as healthy and opened up. We need to educate the new comers to the hobby.

Great topic. It's nothing new as it has been going on for about 5 years now. Many of these corals have and will perish at the hands of quick profits. All you can do Mallorie is continue to share your opinions/concerns and those who choose to listen will greatly appreciate the headsup.

I agree LarryandLaura.

Mucho Reef