Frags that just never seem to grow.

[HB AL]

In my current tank I have a few acro sticks that look good but just never show any growth being encrusting or branching. For example a year in and they look the same as the day I bought them at the same time most all other acros are thriving and growing. Up high down low doesn't seem to make a difference. Anyone else have this issue on occasion and have you had succes in getting it to start growing? This one in the pic is yellow.

 

[stylaster]

what ive done in the past is clip off the terminal polyp or about top 3mm or so this always seems to encourage a jump in growth for me

 

[Daniel@R2R]

what ive done in the past is clip off the terminal polyp or about top 3mm or so this always seems to encourage a jump in growth for me

I've heard this too. Giving a little snip to the tip has helped quite a few overcome this issue I think. IIRC @hybridazn at one point had a millepora that wouldn't do anything but encrust, and he got it to start going vertical by doing something along these lines. Maybe some of our #SPSexperts can give a few additional tips.

 

[UM Aquarium Club]

This is thought to be due to initiating growth by wounding them. Some research is being done into this because it seems that cutting them often does induce more or faster growth in certain types of corals. Definitely worth giving it a shot just clipping a little off the top.

 

[jda]

Nearly all need to encrust a bit before they will take off. I would not snip of top this one since it has not encrusted yet. If it was encrusting well and just not growing vertically, then maybe.

In the end, high-quality, full-spectrum lighting with NSWish water parameters will get most stubborn ones going.

 

[kennedpa]

I’d say this is very species specific and not necessarily true.

I also don’t agree with the NSW conditions since we know most don’t run those levels and grow SPS like beasts.

IMHO - not taking shots at you


To another point, it won’t hurt to do anything or nothing; however, should you choose to do something I would recommend breaking off the frag and leaving whatever is encrusted, and side mounting the frag. It’s been shown that you’ll get more growth with side mounts vs. vertical. In this way you get the best of both worlds. I have done some side mounts and always end up with a really nice minicolony faster than traditional (it looks pretty) vertical mounts.

 

[hybridazn]

I've heard this too. Giving a little snip to the tip has helped quite a few overcome this issue I think. IIRC @hybridazn at one point had a millepora that wouldn't do anything but encrust, and he got it to start going vertical by doing something along these lines. Maybe some of our #SPSexperts can give a few additional tips.

I had a sunset milli that did nothing but encrust, but what fixed the issue wasn't cutting it but adjusting flow. I was hitting it with too much flow so when I turned it down it grew vertically quickly. Too much flow will cause sps to encrust more than grow vertically because it needs to establish a solid base.

 

[jda]

They have to have energy to heal if you are going to snip them. If they are struggling, then they will not heal the cut, you will get algae on it and you will set it back further. I would not risk a snip until you are totally sure that it is thriving otherwise. If it had a good base, then I would do it.. but not this one.

If it is truly a yellow color, then this probably a transitional color from red to green, or green to red in a Tenius. Is it a true yellow under daylight, or more greenish yellow? Depending, then this could be another indication that it might not be totally healthy and might want to snip until it gets a permanent color.

 

[HB AL]

I like to experiment a little so I think I'm gonna clip a little from the bottom and mount on new plug then clip al little off the top branch, who knows maybe it will encorouge some encrusting and branching,

 

[29bonsaireef]

I wouldn't cut a frag that small. Imo, you're just going to leave it more stressed and you might lose the whole piece. I've had many stubborn frags in the past. Most always, all they need is a new location. Whether it be more flow, more light, or maybe less of both. I would move the whole piece or just be patient. Laying it on its side isn't a bad idea either, it will encourage encrusting.

 

[stylaster]

ive clipped small frags that are half that size and they started growing again, i even save the tip and glue that to a frag plug. I did that with a walt disney the frag and the tip both have grown well

 

[watchguy123]

They have to have energy to heal if you are going to snip them. If they are struggling, then they will not heal the cut, you will get algae on it and you will set it back further. I would not risk a snip until you are totally sure that it is thriving otherwise. If it had a good base, then I would do it.. but not this one.

If it is truly a yellow color, then this probably a transitional color from red to green, or green to red in a Tenius. Is it a true yellow under daylight, or more greenish yellow? Depending, then this could be another indication that it might not be totally healthy and might want to snip until it gets a permanent color.

I have had my share of frags that wouldn’t grow. I never snipped the tip but in hindsight should have on those that looked healthy. I agree with @jda about not topping off a struggling coral. In terms of defining struggling, I would use loss of color, paling and reduced polyp extension as indicators. I have also seen some that are being outcompeted at the base by coralline algae. I view an encrusting sps as healthy even without vertical growth.

I’ve never really gotten a good handle on why some frags that look happy, colorful and good polyp extension sit dormant. I’ve had multiple frags sit for anywhere between a year or two before finally blossoming. I don’t move sps around much but likely tried a couple different spots for the dormant ones. Location change isn’t what helped, just time, lots of it.

 

[Abhishek]

I have had my share of frags that wouldn’t grow. I never snipped the tip but in hindsight should have on those that looked healthy. I agree with @jda about not topping off a struggling coral. In terms of defining struggling, I would use loss of color, paling and reduced polyp extension as indicators. I have also seen some that are being outcompeted at the base by coralline algae. I view an encrusting sps as healthy even without vertical growth.

I’ve never really gotten a good handle on why some frags that look happy, colorful and good polyp extension sit dormant. I’ve had multiple frags sit for anywhere between a year or two before finally blossoming. I don’t move sps around much but likely tried a couple different spots for the dormant ones. Location change isn’t what helped, just time, lots of it.

Excellant point @watchguy123 . Sometimes things take time . And every tank is different . There have been so many instances where a frag from my friend's tank where it was growing crazily came into mine and sat for a year doing absolutely nothing. And suddenly one day it would just wake up . Same thing goes other way too.

Regards,
Abhishek

 

[rosshamsandwich]

are they wild?

 

[2Wheelsonly]

Those silly millennial corals never want to grow up and move off their frag plug!

*edit: when I have a stubborn coral I break a piece off and that seems to cause it to grow rapidly...not sure that's a thing but it works for me mostly. I had a PC rainbow acro that basically stayed the same for 5 months and I broke the big stem off with my siphon tube on accident and about 12 stalks started to grow out of the base and now 3 months later it's getting pretty big to the point I have to frag it again.

 

[terri_ann]

Great question HB AL! Thanks for all the responses. I have had the same happen and it' s so frustrating! What do you do with the browned out sticks? I have sticks that encrust and have upward, branching, plating growth but the brown ones just sit in their ugly skin! Lol I've had some that i swear were dead(but their odor gave it away) but when I feed, their polyps come 'way' out! After lights out, they don't show any pe or just a smidge. It' crazy and I can't figure out why they are brown and do not encrust/grow.

 

[Szigedi]

I was told that if they are left on a frag plug they will grow slower since every time it get bumped or hit with a current the frag will move and the polyps will retreat and reserve energy. Some people down here say that you need to glue it down before you get good growth on an acro. I personally have no experience with this as I like LPS, and my only sps are birds nests, I am just putting this idea out there in case no one has heard it before.

 

[HB AL]

I was told that if they are left on a frag plug they will grow slower since every time it get bumped or hit with a current the frag will move and the polyps will retreat and reserve energy. Some people down here say that you need to glue it down before you get good growth on an acro. I personally have no experience with this as I like LPS, and my only sps are birds nests, I am just putting this idea out there in case no one has heard it before.

The acros that ive had the longest and grow you cant even notice a plug is under it. I guess if your frags are rocking back and forth non stop that could be an issue. Im gonna clip it some and mount 2 pieces on seperate plugs one standing up and the other laying down, and leave them at the same height.

 

[larangcon]

The acros that ive had the longest and grow you cant even notice a plug is under it. I guess if your frags are rocking back and forth non stop that could be an issue. Im gonna clip it some and mount 2 pieces on seperate plugs one standing up and the other laying down, and leave them at the same height.

I'll be following for sure, this will be a good thread to see which grows faster, horizontal or vertical mount. Keep us posted.

 

[29bonsaireef]

I have frags that rock back and forth all day long and are not effected at all by it. They grow Acropora hanging from wires in the ocean. Seen acro growing off rope and bouy lines as well, bouncing up and down all day long.