? Fragging to promote SPS growth

[msaba]

Hey guys--

I have a few frags that over the last year or so have not thrived. Maybe they had some 'insult' over the last year and never really bounced back, or just remained static being pruchased. They have some PE, but the base is not expanding and there is now new growth. I believe most of us have had these types of frags of common SPS that in a setting where most everything is healthy --these ones aren't.

My question is--has anyone had success 'fragging a frag' in these situations to maybe stimulate new growth or to awaken these stagnant frags.

thanks

Mark

 

[Wazzel]

I would like to know too. I have a few frags that have grown very slowly while others have grown like weeds. I have considered nipping the tip tomsee if I could stimulate some growth.

 

[BrentH]

I know if you top a weed plant for instance it will turn into 2 shoots ...same with ACROS I beleive it will just change the growth pattern or turn into 2 shoots but not necessarily make it grow faster ? Just my oponion

 

[Hockeynut120]

Maybe if you chop a piece off and move it to a different location the new one may do better in that location, I don't think it will make the fragged piece grow Any faster but you never know till you try

 

[xdestry]

http://www.garf.org/FRUGALREEFER/escapefrugal.shtml

 

[Oldude]

In my experience it can give it a kick start

 

[vuqchu]

I do it all the time. Clip off the tip to encourage more branching action.

 

[acrohead500ppm]

Done this many times with success.

I don't think it speeds up growth on healthy colonies, but I think it is an effective sort of last ditch way to get stagnant frags to start new growth.

 

[msaba]

thanks for the replies--yes I was thinking more as a way to get stagnant frags to start growing again.

Xdestry--good read and link--thanks!

Acrohead--what percentage of the time do you think your successful in this regard?

mark

 

[1MP3R1AL]

I'd like to know this as well, as far as a success rate.
I have a 2 year old red milli that hasn't grown at all. As in still on the plug, no growth. Color is great, deep red. Tried different locations, etc.

I have wanted to chop the top off, but worried algae will take over fresh cut and kill it so I left it as it is.

 

[acrohead500ppm]

thanks for the replies--yes I was thinking more as a way to get stagnant frags to start growing again.

Xdestry--good read and link--thanks!

Acrohead--what percentage of the time do you think your successful in this regard?

mark

70-80% of the time, after the wound heals over it will start throwing out a new branch where the cut was made.

 

[hart24601]

You can cheat nature a bit, they do this when establishing new coral reefs or restoration but with larger "frags". If you space the same coral out when they encrust on the surface eventually they will grow together and the coral will think it is one huge colony. For restoration it's great because the coral will spawn years ahead if it was just to grow in one spot. Justin Credable of reef gen talked about this when I saw him at a reefing event. You can do this in the tank by fragging and glueing the frags a bit away from the main coral, after a month or two when the two grow together again you have a much larger colony.

 

[msaba]

I like those percentages Acrohead! thanks!

Hart--that is another interesting tip and insight-- I have three frags of the oregon tort which waiting to be situated, so I will give it a try!

Mark

 

[acrohead500ppm]

I like those percentages Acrohead! thanks!

Hart--that is another interesting tip and insight-- I have three frags of the oregon tort which waiting to be situated, so I will give it a try!

Mark

I only recommend doing to to corals that are stable/ been in you system for a month or two.

I really only do this to "stagnant" corals, corals that wont start new growth or just keep basing without throwing branches. Its also kinda fun to see what develops.

Here is an example from a few years ago (2008)
I took a frag off a browned out wild colony of what I think is Acropora divaricata (sp?) that came in really rough at the LFS I used to work at. It sat in my tank for two months, no growth, no coloring up, just drab tan, so I snapped a few branches off...... this is the result a few months later.

The one on the far right, tan w/ vivid purple on the new branches.

 

[msaba]

Acrohead-- thanks, I had a similar experience with a wild SSC colony where a small frag broke off and over the last 2 years has outgrown the main colony which has still stayed 'dormant' I didn't know if I was just lucky at the time as this was unexpected, but it appears that in fact per your experiences this is a very viable method for stimulating new growth in these situations. Appreciate your input!

Mark

 

[acrohead500ppm]

The parent colony is still acting dormant ? after two years?

Huh, what kind of flow is it getting hit with? maybe give it a tad more??

 

[msaba]

The parent colony is still acting dormant ? after two years?

Ha--yes, the SSC colony (about 5x5) originally went 'dormant' after I upgraded to a new larger tank,
I just kinda forgot about, it browned up and had little PE but 'survived'. the tank move was a bit of a fiasco to say the least, the colony just sorta got stuck in the back of the tank neglected...admittedly I was even less concerned as the three small frags that came of of it thrived and grew quickly..Just last month I gave the original 'insurance' colony to a fellow reefer who subsequently fragged it up....

Mark

 

[Narzyzz12]

That's an interesting subject never thought fragging could stimulate growth.