Coral Fragging And Growth Promotion (1 Viewer)

[Cody]

Year's ago when I first started into the hobby, I got a couple easy sps (montipora digitata, I believe) from an LFS that's no longer around. The owner named Brian recommended that I snap the tips of the coral off to see how quickly they regrow. He said that would also force the coral to start growing, whether it has settled in or not. Recently, I was talking with a fellow Houston reefer (Naka), and he told his friend to do that to a fox flame colony that had no color on its tips and had stopped growing for some reason. He said that within a week or two, the coral was growing again and the tips were bright chartreuse.

This method has been out of sight and out of mind for so long, that I forgot to even try it anymore. Is anyone else practicing this these days on a regular basis?

 

[frankc]

I have not tried this or even heard of it, but it is an interesting idea. I know there are a lot of terrestrial plants that grow better if you trim them, so I guess this is a similar concept.

 

[sneezebeetle]

Not intentionally. But pruning does make sense.

I feel an experiment is in the near future!

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[Cody]

Google "coral microfragging". They cut the coral up into cubic centimeters then put all the pieces relatively close to each other. There are plenty of studies that show they grow at faster rates than when they're not cut. Similar concept to what I'm talking about. Apparently, not only does it create more areas of potential growth, it forces the coral to start growing faster than if it weren't agitated.

As far as potential growth area, the best analogy I have is for your to hold up your hand and spread your fingers. If each finger is a branch, you typically have five potential growth areas. If you cut the tips of your fingers off, glue them on to five plugs, then now you have effectively doubled your potential growth areas.

Disclaimer, don't cut off your fingers.

 

[Cody]

I have not tried this or even heard of it, but it is an interesting idea. I know there are a lot of terrestrial plants that grow better if you trim them, so I guess this is a similar concept.

So basically, if you trim the tips off of your corals, keep the tips, and give the colonies to me, you're actually helping yourself.

 

[FarmerTy]

Ive always wanted to try this... Especially with months on a tile.... Micro frag and then watch the exponential growth.

As far as acros, just my own user experience but sometimes a frag will stall and I'll cut the tip off to try to spur growth. Sometimes it works....sometimes it doesn't... Sometimes I'm just fooling myself. [emoji38]

 

[Bullitt519]

This is how Long Island Aquarium achieved huge colonies from what I've read and watched. They actual came to reef currents in 2017 and discussed it. I have been planing on doing this with my new system.

 

[mittens]

So someone grab a $1200 frag of the nemesis and start microfragging. I can provide the tiles.


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[Cody]

This is how Long Island Aquarium achieved huge colonies from what I've read and watched. They actual came to reef currents in 2017 and discussed it. I have been planing on doing this with my new system.

Super interesting seeing the video. Full disclosure, I'm so busy working the event that I've never seen a single speaker in action.

 

[Cody]

So someone grab a $1200 frag of the nemesis and start microfragging. I can provide the tiles.


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From what I've discovered lately, the new standard for frags is 1/3-1/2". There's not even enough to make one cube for this method.

 

[mittens]

From what I've discovered lately, the new standard for frags is 1/3-1/2". There's not even enough to make one cube for this method.

Then I will provide one tile.


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[Cody]

Then I will provide one tile.


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We're gonna need really small tiles.

If I had the time, I would run this experiment in my tank. For giggles if anything.

 

[FarmerTy]

I'll keep you guys posted. [emoji6]

 

[sneezebeetle]

I'll keep you guys posted. [emoji6]

[emoji102]

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[Luman01]

We're gonna need really small tiles.

If I had the time, I would run this experiment in my tank. For giggles if anything.

I got small tiles next weekend when I go to ola ima buy some cheap acros and try this. Why not ! Lol

 

[MrJoe]

Thanks for this information and the video link. Very interesting

 

[Luman01]

So I want to try this, I got 4 acros from ola yesterday but there to nice for me to cut them up. What would be a good acro or sps to try this micro fragging? I was just thinking of gluing them straight to my rocks on the outer arms of my scape.

 

[sneezebeetle]

Just thought I would throw an update out there with regards to "pruning" to promote growth. This sps had stalled in growth and it had been about 6 months since I had seen any progress so I trimmed off about 1/8" on about 60% of this piece so I would be able to measure growth against un-trimmed branches and I think the pic speaks for itself. Just look at those nice, bright new tips and great polyp extension. Its about 1/4" of new growth if not a little more in only about a months time.

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[frankc]

That's pretty cool. Now we need an update from @FarmerTy.

 

[Bullitt519]

I do this with cyphastrea. Can cover a 3 x 6 tile in a couple months or less.