how do you encourage encrusting acropora to branch?

[pmomberger]

I have serveral acropra frags that keep encrusting but never create any branches, anybody have any tricks to get them vertical?

 

[Tank102a]

Try poking it LOL.

Whenever I damaged an acro (while cleaning) the damaged spot branched out.

 

[Paul_N]

If it has nowhere to encrust it wil get little nubs or branches. I have a monti confusa I think it us. I mounted the frag plug to end of a piece of pvc pipe. It started to grow donw the pipe an also upward more than the piece I had on a rock.

 

[butts182]

of encrusting before they will grow vertically

 

[butts182]

they need a good base before they grow up

 

[MitchReef]

Let it encrust and be patient. The more encrusted it is the better the colony will be when it grows up. It will start putting up trunks and with a massive encrusted base it will be an awesome colony when it does.

 

[Troylee]

^^^^ agreed... I had a pink lemonade and red planet that encrusted for 6 months and then boom it shot up like weed on miracle grow lol...

 

[pmomberger]

I had heard scratching the surface of the encrusting coral would do it but I haven't really had great success with that. I can encourage a branch to divide by cutting the branch but just wonder what the signal is that tells the coral it's time to shoot up branches. My theory is it needs to sense it cannot encrust any further, so create a limit for it, sometimes this is difficult as I have some areas the acros could spread for years before hitting a edge.

 

[ronnie]

When I frag, I lay them on their side instead of vertical mounting. This helps encourage encrusting, which means they grow faster. They just aren't as tall.

I have a Red Planet frag that has fully encrusted a 1 1/2" plug in about three months. It is over the sides and is about to hit the frag rack. It is just now starting to throw up vertical branches as well.