Frag vs. Colony vs. Mother Colony

S

sunfun

I have always heard these terms thrown around and most times used almost interchangeably. I have seen online stores selling what I would call a frag as a colony. Is the difference between a colony and a mother colony simply that a frag has been removed from it? At what point does a frag become a colony? If you frag a frag into smaller frags does that make the leftover a mother frag?

What are your thoughts on this?
 
Generally size to me. Sps for example, under 2 inches is a frag, 2+ inches with multiple branches is a colony. This is just my opinion though, i am sure everyone else is different. I bought a few "colonies" from wet thumb frags recently, the smallest was 2.5 inches. They are selling a 5x7 one as a colony right now as well.

For zoas and softies and pretty much everything else, i use polyps/eyes/heads as a general basis. If there are quite a few, it could be a colony.

A mother colony is generally used as a term of where the particular frag came from when trying to show the true colors of what the frag should turn into.


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Frag v. colony is subjective for sure. I like Joe's definition but I want to vary in that to me the type of coral makes a difference. I have some pieces that are probably 3" or more but I still consider them a frag. Besides the size I'd like to think a colony is what the coral looks like complete. Let me explain. If you have a branching green slimer and the normal coral has branches that are maybe 1/3 the size of the stalk, then a piece of coral with branches that are 1/3 the size of the stalk I'd consider a colony. one big piece of "stalk" that is starting to branch, a frag. And the definition of a mother colony has been spelled out correctly, it is just the colony that the frag came from, as Joe said for color, growth, and general "look" reference. I would not call a frag a mother colony just because you cut a frag off it. I would think it would have to fall into the colony definition first. And showing a frag and saying that that is where another frag comes from defeats the purpose of showing the mother colony to begin with

This little piece will just branch out, I'd use Joe's 2" rule
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I call this a frag but it's at least 3" in height
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a green slimer frag (but this is at least 2" plus)
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a green slimer colony
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TJ has some good adjjustments to the definitions :)

Agreed, that 1 3" branch is still a frag to me as it hasn't filled out. That overall size with multiple branches would be a colony to me though. Btw, that was one of the frags i am pretty sure was in my tank at one point, lol.


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@CaravanShaka wrote:
TJ has some good adjjustments to the definitions :) Agreed said:
Well then you can tell me.....what is it? [smilie=rofl.gif] Did you send any out to East Texas? I got this in the trade with Sir Tang Alot
Click to expand...
 
great question and I doubt there is a written specification for them but I've always kind of looked at it this way

frag
SPS = less then 2-3" with 3 or less branches
LPS = less then 5 heads (polyps) (generally sold by the head)
zoas / palys = less then 15 polyps (generally sold by the polyp)
other softies = kind of like sps


colony
SPS = more then 3" with more then 3 branches
LPS = more then 5 heads sold as a colony
zoas = more then 15 polyps sold as a colony
other softies = again like sps

mother colony
I've just always considered this a colony that frags are taken from - not size specific
 
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