SPS clippers

I just ordered some clippers from Boston Aqua Farms to trim back a couple Acropora colonies. I've never trimmed SPS with clippers before ... I was curious if there were any techniques, or things to keep in mind when I go to town on those Acro's! Do you frag in the tank, or outside the tank? I am thinking of taking the colony out of water for fragging to have more room and access to certain branches.

 

When I use the cutters (I have the exact same ones), I only squeeze a little. I don't let the squeezing action cut through the coral. The coral is actually snapped at the stress points from the squeeze by twisting the cutters till it snaps. Hope that makes sense.

 

I do the same as Tony, let torsion do the work, be gentile.

Some Acros do not like clippers, my granulosa comes to mind, no matter how carefully I clip the frag still goes flying across the room. I now frag that coral in tank and hope the frag doesn't roll under the rock work.

 

I do as both above but I frag in a shielded box I made so the frag doesn't shoot any where :lol: It's just a C shaped enclosure made out of acrylic so I can get more light in the area. Geeze now I have to post plans I suspect

 

Take care when squeezing your clipper not to disrupt the bond holding the parent coloney to the rock. It's easy to over-torque the clippers and end up with the entire coloney in your hand depending on how firmly it was attached in the first place. After the first few snips you'll be a lean, mean, snipping machine.

 

Yeah, on some corals the base gives way before anything else =(

Ian had his whole echinata break at the base =(

 

Okay, mental note made! Thanks guys!
I actually don't want to frag this Millepora, as it is my favorite coral in the tank, but it is growing pretty closely towards my tenius colony. Any chance the millepora might just grow around the tenius?

 

The milli most likely grows faster....

 

Wrap a buncha paper towels around the work area where the frag could be flying. That way, when it does snap off, the frag won't fly too far and break into smaller pieces.

 

I have only fragged frags, cause I don't have any colonies yet, I use the API test kit container upside to hold tank water, and clip inside that, then haven't had any issues yet.