So....let's talk about how Kenya trees drop branches

[ReeferKimberly]

I have two that I got when I started a tank like a year ago. My first kenya since I stayed away from them before then. They were 1 inch. They got about 9 inches and now they have dropped I don't know, like 4 branches a day for a month. They are down to like no more branches! What is the cycle?

Do they just drop all the branches at once!? I was expecting some kind of....I don't know....but something I could keep up with. I really like the look of kenya trees and it is a soft/lps tank so I did/do not really mind them much. But now I am wondering, when do they STOP dropping branches? When they get to just a stick?

Do we know what prompts them to drop? A major change with this tank is temperature. It is about 78 in winter and 82-83 in summer. (it was 109 degrees outside in May so you can understand where I am coming from). Other than that, nothing major has changed except the kenya trees grew up. I guess maybe they just get to a certain size and drop them all pretty much at once?

So what's what with Kenya tree? I like them and will probably always have them in soft tanks, but I want to know what to expect from now on.

 

[kylathwe]

Not sure. I've had mine for a while but it drops a branch about once every 2-3 weeks. Doesn't ever look bare though.

 

[wireefman]

I get 2-3 new branches falling every couple days it seems...

 

[Dmorty217]

There is no cycle they will grow and drop and grow and drop

 

[cloak]

I just lop the top off my Kenya trees. No need to worry about them dropping branches. Once it starts to fill out, boom! Scissors...

Like mentioned above, they're very durable. They bounce back each time.

 

[dixiedog]

Do all tree corals do this or is it just the Kenya?

 

[wireefman]

Do all tree corals do this or is it just the Kenya?

most softys propagate by budding *dropping of babies*, just not to the extent the Kenya tree does

 

[dixiedog]

Gotcha. Is it difficult to keep the babies picked up, to keep them from getting out of control?

 

[Khemul]

It can be. It all depends on how easily you can find the babies in your setup. They attach quickly when ready (a day or so) and are second only to Xenia when it comes to growing in crazy places (I've had both stick to fronds of Caulerpa Prolifera and start growing). So basically, if they fall onto a bare sandbed then you can easily scope them up. If they fall into your rockwork, not so much. If they fall under your rockwork then survive is a tossup (I have a couple babies growing out of caves that get buried if the cucumbers or goby get bored).

 

[Hodge1995]

Mine hasn't dropped any yet had them about 3 months but it also hasn't grown much

 

[wireefman]

I have 20 or so frags ready to go, and I just counted 18 random babies/small colonies that have blown around the tank to where they reside now