Best way to Frag Duncan

[pammy]

Hi. I have a duncan that I'd like to frag to trade a head with another reefer. What is the best method of fragging it? I fragged it several months ago, but lost 2 heads in the process because I used wire cutters from home depot that someone suggested would be just as good as bone cutters. I ended up crushing two heads in the process of trying to frag off one. The 3rd head did beautifully after I fragged it. The whole colony looked very unhappy after I fragged it, but recovered quickly in a day or two. That was my first attempt at fragging anything.

My duncan colony is now attached to my live rock with aquamend. Should I buy specific bone cutters and try to frag it underwater inside my display, or should I detatch the colony off of the rock and use a dremel outside of the tank to frag off a head?

Any specific type of attachement that works best on a dremel to frag a hard LPS like a duncan?

Once you pull a coral off of live rock, how do you remove the hardened aquamend? I have a few LPS frags that didn't do well, and it seems impossible to remove the left over aquamend now from the rock.

Thanks, Pam

 

[Kurt_Nelson]

I just fragged a torch in the tank, using a small hack saw blade. I taped up one end with masking tape to make a "handle" and just sawed away patiently. While a duncan isn't a torch, the same thing should work. Just make sure you cut below the living tissue, if possible.

 

[pammy]

Thanks Kurt !

 

[treehugger]

i've always had success with a dremel....you can cut it clean with one of those...but i've also used a hammer and chisel, and bone cutters...i think the dremel works the best with the least amount of damage...the hardest part is making sure the heads have enough skeleton underneath them to actually frag

 

[Dr. Dee]

I used a pair of PVC cutters for my frags it worked just fine!

 

[Gordonious]

Treehuger, exactly what bit did you use and where did you get it?

 

[pammy]

I bought a diamond cut wheel for my dremel at home depot for $15, and that worked beautifully to frag the duncan. Duncan is nice and open already this morning. (didn't look happy last night). Much better deals on the diamond cut wheels on ebay though. I wish I had thought of checking there first.

Pam