Growth pattern on frags

[Reefs and Geeks]

I've seen alot of small frags for sale for designer frags lately, some 1/2" or smaller and I always used to think "why would anyone buy such a small frag? But the last 3 acros I have added to my display I've gotten all about an inch long or more, and since adding the original stem has not grown on any of them, but have gotten new growth stems instead that look better with more color, texture, and PE than the original portion of the frags do. For an example, see the picture of the green slimmer I attached. The original frag stem is the center piece that sticks straight up. Everything else is new growth. The original stem is all but a smooth stem with polyps, almost like the polyps are coming right out of a cylinder. But the new growth the skeletal structure is much more pronounced and healthy looking. This same thing has happened with an IED milli and a WD acro.

Will the original growth ever start to grow from a frag, or will it essentially just sit dormant forever while new growth takes over?

With the original growth sitting stagnant for over 6 months with no growth, is it even worth buying larger frags, or will a 1/2" frag obtain new growth much slower than a 1+" frag?

 

[DesertReefT4r]

Seems pretty comom for frags to concentrate on new grow and not putting extra energy in the original portion of the frag. Instead the frag puts all energy into fist off staying alive then to growing a new base before branching out.

 

[Reef_in_Denver]

I have the same experience with new growth off of encrusting, but I feel like the larger the frag the faster it encrusts for me.

 

[Reefs and Geeks]

Thanks for the replies. I think next time I frag one of my acros I'll set aside a couple of pieces that are cut large and some cut small and take pictures as they grow to see how original frag size affects new growth rates. Would be nice to know how important initial frag size is if the goal is to grow out s nice size colony quickly