What you can do is clip the wires and splice them in with the new wires. There's these plastic caps you put on the ends to insulate, as well as using electrical tape. You have to make sure you keep them wired in series. I did this when I had to change my rack height to allow for a taller tank. Use the same wire if possible.

I think that taking the clips off of the tape might ruin either the clips or the tape.