Why do Acros sulk and how can we appease them?

[DanConnor]

I think most people who have kept acroporas for any length of time have witnessed this: you do something to tick it off, and it goes into some weird suspended animation where it won't grow, barely extends polyps, but is definitely not dead. Even a good sized colony.

I have heard fragging them may help, but I haven't had success on that with either the base colony of the frag.

Does anyone have any idea what the actual mechanism is here?

 

[C. Eymann]

You are talking about stress induced dormancy?
To my understanding it's where the coral goes into self preservation mode, instead of putting any energy towards growth.

Only trick I have is to give them love and fragging tips of old axials sometimes will wake them up, otherwise, I dont know and am curious to hear other responses.

 

[SeaDweller]

Snipping tips hasn’t really helped me much with some dormant frags. I wish I knew why they went into this state. They maintain colors well, and they do it to spite us. Little heathens.

 

[daelie]

Snipping tips hasn't worked for me either, they tend to just heal that tip and remain dormant. Usually just takes time and good water parameters and they'll wake up on their own time frame.