Spurring new sps growth

[spawn]

I don't know if anyone else has tried this, but a little while ago after trimming a sps branch of a "Green slimer" acro I noticed that quickly 2 new branches started from the spot. So I wondered if I trimmed just 1 coralite what would happen, well now I've got a new branch growing from apart of the branch where there were no signs of new growth previously. I thought this was pretty cool & will try it on other corals to try & inspire new growth.
So I now wonder if there were 2 corals about to touch each other if you were to trim coralites off a lower section of the branch, if the branch would stop shy because it would be dedicating growth energy to the trimmed coralites instead of the end of the branch. Does anyone know anymore about this?

[Aquattro]

I don't think you'd retard growth of existing branches, but I have created branches by cutting into an existing branch (just a tiny notch).

[reefermadness]

When ever I get a dormant frag or colony branch (you can usually tell by rounded appearance)....I trim the very tip and new growth is likely to come. Been doing this for quite some time and works really well. Many people do the same thing.

[Ryan]

Take a read on the GARF site they say the same thing.

If you break off a breanch opposed to a clean cut most time you will get 2 or more new branches form. This will make for a bushier coral.

[ScubaSteve]

Corals for many years in the old days were thought to be related to plants, and with just cause. Sometimes I have a hard time believing they're animals when I see so many similarities with plants. I do also find a lot of my gardening techniques apply in my tank as well.

I do break off branches and tips to start new growths and to keep the colony in a healthy shape (important for birdsnest and pocci's). Now, trimming a single coralite and getting a new branch? That's cool!

Did you just trim a radial coralite? If so, how did you do this?

To answer your question, I don't necessarily think forming branches down low will stunt the growth of the main branch. It may slow the growth for a short time as energy is diverted toward growing new branches but I think that will be short lived, especially once the new branch comes "online" and becomes a producer for the colony. Now, if you regulary pruned the colony to form new branches this technique might work. Only one way to find out, right?

[untamed]

Yes, this works and I do it all the time. As mentioned, you want to snap the branch, rather than crush it off with cutters

[spawn]

[quote=ScubaSteve;612159]

(Did you just trim a radial coralite? If so, how did you do this?)


Yes, with bone cutters & now it's started the new growth of an Incipient Radial coralite

[MMAX]

Any ideas on how to get these guys to branch out?

http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o122/jgo555/ReefTank114.jpg



http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o122/jgo555/ReefTank094.jpg

[lastlight]

The first one seems to really have encrusted well so it's possible that one won't show any growth at the tip and instead sprout from the bottom like some of mine have. The second though hasn't even encrusted so I think it's maybe too early to start snipping.

And after reading this thread last night I went and cut 4 of my frags. I was scared to try and snap them for fear of breaking off far more than intended so I did the 'crush the tip' off technique. Guess now I'll wait and see.

[reefermadness]

Any ideas on how to get these guys to branch out?





That first one definately has the rounded stunted growth look. No growth tips.....a trim of the very tip will help.

Second one looks like it has a growth tip...its a stag so it might get pretty long before it branches....

[MMAX]

That first one definately has the rounded stunted growth look. No growth tips.....a trim of the very tip will help.

Second one looks like it has a growth tip...its a stag so it might get pretty long before it branches....

Just snip with cutters at the tip?

[spawn]

Seriously... how long have you had those? Maybe just give'm a little bit of time to settle into your tank before you start snipping, snapping or trimming. What are your parameters? Your tank "It looka kinda new." But if you really wanna cut em, go ahead & then sit back for a day & watch them take off, it happens really really fast!

[Myka]

Any ideas on how to get these guys to branch out?

I would snip them off the plugs and re-glue them horizontally. I find frags grow much quicker when mounted on their sides, especially "spike" frags with no branching. Those spiky ones can be tough to get going when mounted vertically.

[MMAX]

Seriously... how long have you had those? Maybe just give'm a little bit of time to settle into your tank before you start snipping, snapping or trimming. What are your parameters? Your tank "It looka kinda new." But if you really wanna cut em, go ahead & then sit back for a day & watch them take off, it happens really really fast!

I've had those in the tank for 5 months and the tank is well over a year old.

[spawn]

I've had those in the tank for 5 months and the tank is well over a year old.
hmmm. What are you parameters? Mine just turned 1 year old on Monday, & I've got some in mine that have grown more in the last 2 weeks w/o trimming. Just saying. I'll post another 2 month growth shot in the FTS thread tomorrow. None of mine started to grow well until I got virtually ULNS. Try mounting them sideways then, I've done that too & got good growth as well.

[ScubaSteve]

[quote=ScubaSteve;612159]

(Did you just trim a radial coralite? If so, how did you do this?)


Yes, with bone cutters & now it's started the new growth of an Incipient Radial coralite

Cool! I like. I have a supposed red planet that is en rusting to be more of a brown blob so I might give this a go to see if it'll create a growth tip.

[ScubaSteve]

I would snip them off the plugs and re-glue them horizontally. I find frags grow much quicker when mounted on their sides, especially "spike" frags with no branching. Those spiky ones can be tough to get going when mounted vertically.

These are wise words. It's important to have an idea of what kind of coral you are dealing with and mounting it accordingly. Many corals, especially across, will tend to grow slow and not necessarily true to form until they have encrusted and formed a good base from which to grow. There are all sorts of tricks that hint at which way frags should be mounted. Most of the time when you get a frag on a plug it is mounted vertically as it looks cooler but this isn't the way it should be. I'd recommend remounting those frags on their sides? Any idea on the species ID?

Sorry to deviate from the original topic.

[bignose]

I would snip them off the plugs and re-glue them horizontally. I find frags grow much quicker when mounted on their sides, especially "spike" frags with no branching. Those spiky ones can be tough to get going when mounted vertically.

I do this with most of my frags and it works.

[chris121277]

Great topic guys.....I'm just tagin along here :couch2:

[lastlight]

All 4 corals I snipped have new growth at those tips. I went ahead and went postal on 6 more corals today.

[H22_TURBO]

All 4 corals I snipped have new growth at those tips. I went ahead and went postal on 6 more corals today.

take some pics!, when you snip and then 2-3weeks later

[nlreefguy]

This really works. I had a green acro that was dormant for the last year. It would encrust and sprout new branches from the base but not the original branches. I tried just snipping the ends off all the old branches and now I have rapid growth at the orginal tips, even more so than the encrusting part.