sculpting growth???

[79chopperdr]

I have a frag of surf n turf (furthest one back) that has grown well in my tank. It has grown straight up from the bend, about three inches in four months.

You can see it is growing straight up. Is there a way to force it to branch??

Thanks

 

[barnett8]

There were a few people on here who would recommend crushing the tip of the coral to promote branching/growth. I think Biggle's thread was the one that talked about it (but don't hold me to that).

 

[powderhound]

Cut the stag about 2 inches down and glue the frag next to it. The original one will start to branch and new frag will catch up with growth.

 

[LoJack]

Yup, I'd probably cut it twice and remount the small branches. It will then start encrusting until they join together and then grow as one fairly evenly. Keep doing this as often as you need to.

I've been doing this with another stag because I had the same type of growth and it looked funny.

 

[Borchers]

Cut it and remount them. Plus flow helps

 

[79chopperdr]

Thanks guys

 

[Dog boy Dave]

Stags out in the open receiving flow and light from multi directions will branch much more readily. If the flow and light are strong enough they sense open area and will even grow down away from the prevailing light to expand into open water. I have found that my stags grow most symmetrical and tree like if placed on the peak of a rock with 360 degrees of open area around them.

 

[Dog boy Dave]

Oh, and they will almost always branch where you cut them as the previous posters have stated.