Time series of enstrophy and plasma beta for runs S, where the instabilities are quenched with resistivity. The upper panels correspond to a high-resistivity run, where even the longest wavelength of the box is damped. The simulation is similar to a nonmagnetized run, the vortex surviving indefinitely. In the lower panels we used lower resistivity with Elsässer number Λ = 1. The longest wavelength of the box thus has a magnetic Reynolds number of 6, so its growth is not quenched. The magneto-elliptic instability grows in the vortex core in a conspicuous k_z/k₀ = 2 mode. Part of the field generated is diffused away due to the high resistivity. Channel flows eventually develop, destroying the vortex.