Staghorn (Paletta Pink Tip) Not Branching

[Jimbo]

I have had a frag of Paletta's Pink Tip Stag for almost exactly one year now. The first pic is from when I first got it. The second was taken today. The frag looks very healthy with good color but has lost the pink tips. Also, it has gotten much thicker branches but has no branching growth....it literally almost looks exactly the same as when I got it except much thicker.

Is this normal for this coral ? Why are the branches not growing longer only thicker?

 

[EW_Fish]

How are all the other spa doing

 

[Jimbo]

Doing great. The Red Dragon in the first pic has more than doubled in size

 

[tonymission]

Turning green usually has something to do with adjusting to new light before coloring back up. How long have you had that coral?

 

[Jimbo]

Color is pretty much dead on except that the pink is gone. It's more yellow than green to my eyes. If I had some branching growth I think the pink would come back. I've had it a little over a year.

 

[MattL22]

Good luck sometimes I find certain sps actually most for me do very little for what seems like forever then all the sudden start to take off!!

 

[Big E]

It likes to put in a good base before it really takes off and grows into nice thickets from there. You've lost the pink tips because the current branches aren't growing. It grows slower under LEDs also and may not have as pink or extensive tips.

When at it's best the tips will be pink a good 1-1.5" down the branches.

 

[Eckolancer]

I know this will sound crazy but I've noticed corals that I leave on the tiles like the one that is on do not grow as good as the ones I break off and glue to the rock. I tested this once with 3 types of frag plugs and 2 placed on rock directly. The ones on the rock started spreading and shooting branches within a month. Others just kinda sat for about 2-4 months and even then growth was very slow. All were placed about same height water flow and lighting. Since then I break off frag plug almost always. I will look for a pic of one coral that is literally growing around a frag plug instead of on it. I noticed the step plugs are the worse ones to use.

See pic of it fanning around plug

 

[Eckolancer]

Here is another shot of it. Will take a new pic when I get back home next week

 

[jzaso]

I find my acro frags putting down a good base and bulking up (thickening) prior to branching upward growth-depending on the species 3-14 months
before they take off-looks like that is getting ready for the growth spurt-looks good!

 

[Graffiti Spot]

Beautiful colony big e!

 

[Jimbo]

It likes to put in a good base before it really takes off and grows into nice thickets from there. You've lost the pink tips because the current branches aren't growing. It grows slower under LEDs also and may not have as pink or extensive tips.

When at it's best the tips will be pink a good 1-1.5" down the branches.

Beautiful colony. Other than growing much thicker it is putting down a nice base. I think the pink will come back if and when it starts branching...

 

[Big E]

Beautiful colony big e!

Thanks Pedoconfuego!

Beautiful colony. Other than growing much thicker it is putting down a nice base. I think the pink will come back if and when it starts branching...

Thanks, the thickness is also due to getting heavy flow........so it's making itself more sturdy before it branches. With a lot of acros it's better to lay the frag down on it's side. If you look at most frags when they start to grow all the braching comes from the base and not the single stick.

Once that base spreads out is ready you'll be shocked how many sprouts come shooting up in a short period of time. The new sprouts will be all pink too.