| 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.
Related Care Guides
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I frag chalice corals?
Chalices have a hard skeleton, so use a band saw or bone cutter to cut through the plate, keeping at least one eye or mouth per frag. Glue it to a plug and heal it in low light and gentle flow.
Do chalice frags need low light?
Yes to start. Chalices generally prefer lower to moderate PAR, and fresh frags heal best out of intense light. Acclimate them up slowly if you later move them brighter.
How many eyes should a chalice frag have?
At least one mouth or eye, ideally two or more, so it has tissue to grow from. Very small single-corallite frags heal slower and are more fragile.