| Difficulty | Moderate |
| Time Required | 15–25 minutes |
| Healing Time | 2–4 weeks |
| Best Method | Score and snap, or saw; keep an eye per frag |
| Coral Type | Plating/encrusting LPS |
Overview
Chalices grow as fleshy plates, so they frag somewhat like Montipora caps — but the tissue is far thicker, the skeleton denser, and the polyps (the “eyes”) matter: a frag with at least one eye recovers dramatically faster than plain edge tissue. High-end chalices are among the most valuable corals in the hobby per square inch, which makes clean fragging technique genuinely profitable.
What You’ll Need
- Band saw / rotary tool with diamond wheel, or heavy bone cutters for score-and-snap
- Eye protection and gloves — chalices can sting, and shards fly
- Frag plugs and gel glue
- Iodine dip
Step-by-Step
- Map the eyes and plan pieces so every frag keeps at least one, cutting through the flesh between eyes.
- Saw from the edge inward in straight lines (cleanest), or score the plate edge with cutters and snap.
- Iodine-dip all pieces and rinse.
- Glue frags flat on plugs, eye upward.
- Return to the parent’s light level — usually low to moderate; chalices burn easily under intense light.
Aftercare & Healing
The flesh recedes a millimeter or two from cut edges in week one, then re-advances and skins over the skeleton. New eyes develop as the frag grows outward. Chalices appreciate night feeding once healed — small meaty or powdered foods dropped near the eyes when the feeder tentacles are out.
What Can Go Wrong
Recession that keeps advancing: infection at the cut — re-dip and re-cut back to clearly healthy tissue. Frag color washing out: too much light; chalices show their best color lower in the tank. Stung neighbors: chalices throw sweeper tentacles at night — give frags spacing when you place them.