# dumb question: getting zoas off the frag plug



## darthvictor (Aug 16, 2011)

Ok, I brought some zoas frags which are sitting on the frag plug, totally don't like seeing the frag plug part showing on the rock I have, how can I get the zoas off the frag plug so I can just put the zoas on my rock?


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## iBetta (Jun 19, 2011)

yep u can. im assuming your zoas are sitting on some sort of glue glued onto the plug right? if you careful use an exacto knife of some sort and cut below the glue (it shouldnt touch nor cut any zoas), u can potentially removed the mat and glue it back onto your LR


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## darthvictor (Aug 16, 2011)

iBetta said:


> yep u can. im assuming your zoas are sitting on some sort of glue glued onto the plug right? if you careful use an exacto knife of some sort and cut below the glue (it shouldnt touch nor cut any zoas), u can potentially removed the mat and glue it back onto your LR


I think I have some of the zoas attached itself to the frag plug, so I am afraid to cut them as I heard they maybe toxic


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## teemee (Aug 29, 2009)

Wear glasses and gloves and you'll be fine. Okay, maybe keep your mouth closed while fragging, too 
You can easily break off the stem of a frag plug and the top of the plug to your rock. Keep your zoas happy, and they will multiply quickly. 
I sometimes find its a bit tricky to get zoas that have spread on a plug off. You can use a scalpel, sometimes... But they can be finicky, and will die if you press down too hard - squash...


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## iBetta (Jun 19, 2011)

yes, they will emit a slime (toxin in it?) if not careful. but i have succesfully done it too with an exacto knife, gently scraping from the bottom almost just applying the least pressure to flick it gently off the frag plug . good luck and yes close your mouth and make sure u wear gloves (or at least make sure your hands have no wounds, cuts etc, gloves are safer imo though)


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## altcharacter (Jan 10, 2011)

Just put the frag in the microwave and the glue will melt off

Haaaa!

Just break the bottom off and glue the disk to the LR. The zoas will grow off the disk to the rock and you'll never notice.


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## iBetta (Jun 19, 2011)

btw altcharacter, how do u break off the bottom part of the frag plug? using pliers? i've never been able to since i dont have bone crushers etc O:. thanks!


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## devin98 (Jan 29, 2012)

agreed most disks are make of a concrete mix and can be nearly impossible to remove the zoos from without causing any damage. Normally sticking the plug into a hole in the rock work snug and allowing them to grow off is the best method. If you are zoos are happy they will be off the plug and growing in no time.


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## darthvictor (Aug 16, 2011)

I guess I will just leave it then... I actually try breaking the frag plug before ( not this zoas frag but other coral) that thing is so damn hard... I end up just putting it in sandbed


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## cablemike (Jan 7, 2009)

Another option is what I've done. Get epoxy marine putty, jam the plug into a whole in a rock and form the putty around the plug and to the rock but in a natural formation, not a circle. Get the epoxy that is purple like coraline and it doesn't look odd.


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## 50seven (Feb 14, 2010)

cablemike said:


> Another option is what I've done. Get epoxy marine putty, jam the plug into a whole in a rock and form the putty around the plug and to the rock but in a natural formation, not a circle. Get the epoxy that is purple like coraline and it doesn't look odd.


Also I've found that in a healthy system, given 3-6 months the corals will completely cover the plug and begin to grow on to the surrounding rocks, so it looks annoying for a while but it's less headache.


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## cablemike (Jan 7, 2009)

Doesn't everyone epoxy there frags to the live rock? I've done it since I started years back because my hermits would knock them down if I didn't. I hate the way it makes the skimmer go nuts though. The epoxy make the skimmer fill with wet skimate in like an hour after using the epoxy but it doesn't harm anything.


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