Does fragging acros induce them to grow faster?

[Amphiprion]

I can think of a number of reason why they would do this, but this is a reasonably well-known phenomenon. There was a thread exactly like this not terribly long ago where people tried this mostly with success.

 

[arod2051]

I can think of a number of reason why they would do this, but this is a reasonably well-known phenomenon. There was a thread exactly like this not terribly long ago where people tried this mostly with success.

I remember reading this at one point, but do you have a pointer to the thread?

 

[redfishsc]

Here's an archive I dug up on google---- I think I read this thread a while back. Maybe this is where I got the notion?

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/archive/index.php/t-1560136.html

 

[alcove]

ive always mounted mili on small rocks so that once they encrust the whole surface (usually pretty quick) they are forced to grow upwards

 

[phenom5]

I'm curious about using this on frags.

I've seen this in the past in my own tank, frag something, intentionally or not, and grow increases. I would say 80% is a good percentage of the time IME.

Anyway, I'm wondering if this is a good idea on frags? I've got a purple stag that is...well...stagnate (see what I did there ). Been in my tank for a little over 2 months, color is good, PE is pretty limited, but growth is nonexistent.

I'm wondering if I should snip the tips, or give it more time to get settled in?

 

[redfishsc]

The millepora that I fragged (or actually, sawed the top HALF off) was about the same size.

It's starting to show some coloration in the center of the skeleton where I cut it, and starting to show some color around the outer perimeter (sorry I don't have a pic right now).


In your case, since you have two tips..... take something like a butter knife or spoon and gently bust the tip (not sure if you can gently bust anything but you know what I mean).


I did this to a bird's nest that has been growing well anyway, but every tip I crushed or broke off has started to fork.

 

[BrooksReef]

I accidentally "fragged" a few of my SPS while moving them around, and within 2 weeks I noticed new growth, and some of them that hadn't fully encrusted began to.

 

[Tajjo]

I just fragged my a. Millepora I'll show pics tomarrow. I am in a very similar situation, about 9 months no growth besides a 2x2" encrusting, and 2 very small nubs that just came in this last month. So I'll aslo be showing progressing growth shots.

 

[jpruitt]

Frag

Frag

I accidentally fraged my Krypto Acro. Since the frag it has sprouted 3 new branches which have grown over a centimeter in 3 weeks. Prior to the frag the colony had no visible growth in 6 months.

 

[redfishsc]

Lol, I fragged one of my nicer monti caps yesterday, by accident (ie, broke it in half:mad2. It didn't need to grow any faster lol.

Was trying to make room for crocea clam, and as I tugged on a small rock I had wedged, I whacked it.

I reglued the broken piece to the rock close to where it broke off, so now I'll just have two layers of the cap scrolling on top of each other. We'll see how fast it grows.

 

[dwhanc00]

The analogy I have read is it is like topping a plant in your garden, cut the tip and multiple branches grow. It has worked great for me. I had a tri-color that had the outside branches growing faster than the inside, clipped them and off they went! New growth is now purple versus the green/ light brown color.

My preference is to frag versus filing. If you don't want to take much, cut at least 1/4" and let it grow out. I have accidently knocked tips off acros that were smaller than 1/4" and the ended up growing like crazy. Did this with my tri on accident (about 1 year ago) when I first got it, now I have a frag that is about 1 1/2" - 2" with about 9 different shoots.

 

[reefsic]

I've trimmed off tips on SPS (not by choice) several times in the past and each one that I've trimmed have grown out in multiple braches, very quickly!!!!

I have done and seen this happen on my Nasuta's, Formosa's, Millepora's & Valida's

 

[plancton]

I read this and tried with my ORA blue mille. It's beem a while that it only encrusts but doesn't grow a single branch. So cut it and placed it in another part of the tank and it started encrusting really fast, but again hasn't branched, and the original base where it was cut from hasn't grown anything!.

I need to try it too with my ora red planet, and ATL godzilla acro, they both have an enourmous encrusting base but absolutely no branches beside the original frag. Why is that?

 

[reefsic]

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

That's how my Formosa was for the longest time. I snip't off approx. a quarter of an inch off the top and it complete healed over with new growth in about a week. It growth rate for the tips on the main branch are really starting to take off!

I trimmed off the top of my Granulosa and it still hasnt grown. Polyps are extended where I cut it, but no growth. Dont think trimming helps growth on the deep water, smooth skin sps.

 

[werdlone]

I've been nipping the tips of corals to stimulate growth for awhile now. Especially the frags that just want to base and not grow vertically. I just nip the tip and most of the time they will start growing.