Propagating Soft Corals FAQ

What species of soft coral can I propagate?

The vast majority of corals can be propagated and as far as we are aware every species commonly available to the hobbyist can be propagated in one form or another. This does not however mean that every species can be treated in the same way and be expected to react in the same manner. A Medusa coral for example propagates very easily with both the cutting and parent coral recovering quickly. Medusa coral cuttings for example attach to its new rock within short periods of time (generally 10-14 days). A Finger Leather coral on the other hand, may close down for up to a week before shedding its skin and returning to its former glory with the cutting taking up to a month to attach itself to its new base. Below lists some of the soft corals that are commonly available to the marine aquarium keeper, all of which can be propagated with ease.

Some easy species that can be propagated

African Blue Bush Coral (Cespitularia sp), African Bush Coral (Lemnalia sp), Bush Coral (Nephthea sp), Golden Bush Coral (Nephthea sp), Cabbage Coral(Lobophytum crassum), Cauliflower Coral (Sinularia brassica), Cactus Finger Coral (Lobophytum sp), Cauliflower Finger Coral (Sinularia polydactyla), Devils Finger Coral (Sinularia asterolobata), Finger Coral (Sinularia sp), Medusa Coral (Cladiella sp), Pussey Coral (Cladiella sp), Staghorn (Sinularia sp), Toadstool (Sarcophyton sp), and a whole load more!

I've just paid a lot of money for a coral and now you want me to take a pair of scissors to it?

If your tank is set up and established and your water parameters reflect the "standard water parameters", you will no doubt have signs that your corals are growing. If they are growing they can be cut with no problems and be expected to survive and thrive. It is daunting taking your first cutting, especially as these creatures we keep are not cheap. However, why pay that amount of money for only one coral when over a period of months one coral could turn into five or six corals. We have never lost a coral through the propagation process and believe that if the coral is properly cut then you will experience the same success. In fact the removal of damaged tissue from a coral by pruning an infected area can actually save corals from becoming completely infected by disease. Also, as your coral grows, it will start to encroach on the space used by your other corals and they will then start to fight for this space. Most corals do this by a way of chemical warfare and if you do not start to prune your corals, you will start to see some corals deteriorate.

What's the best tool to use to take a cutting?

In most cases we recommend sharp scissors as this negates the need to actually hold onto the cutting or parent coral. After a branch has been selected a single smooth cut should be made approx half inch away from where the branch joins with the parent. Once the cutting has been taken it can be transferred to a small container of tank water and prepared for attachment to a rock. It is also possible to use a scalpel to take cuttings, but this may require the holding of the coral with one hand and cutting it with the other causing it to retract and make the cutting harder to take. Some corals such as mushroom corals, xenia, star polyps etc. propagate themselves by budding new colonies off and spreading across rocks. Obviously in this case, you do not need any tools apart from maybe the odd small piece of rock to place near the corals base.

How will the coral and cutting react after the cut has been made?

This depends on the species but all corals will show some reaction, usually withdrawing their polyps and retracting to the size at which they spend most of the night or when disturbed. It is possible for the coral to react and shrivel up to an even smaller size and this is where worry can set in. Please be assured any signs of distress will only be temporary, lasting in some corals no more than an hour or so. For example, a finger coral when cut may retract to less than a third of its normal size and stays this way for a couple of hours but over a period of roughly another hour or so it expands, the polyps come out and the coral looks like its never been touched. On the other hand a Cabbage Coral can shut down and may look very sick indeed. It may stay this way for three or four days before it sheds its skin and expands to it former size. Until you have cut the coral you have no real idea how it will react. Patience is the key. Do not keep prodding the coral to see if it reacts, just leave it to heal and overcome the stress caused by the cutting. Within a few weeks, most corals have fully recovered and any cuts you have made will have healed. One thing to bear in mind when cutting corals is that it is a natural occurrence. In the wild, rocks fall on corals breaking them apart, grazing fish will remove chunks here and there sampling the coral to see how it tastes. Corals naturally split into two as a form of reproduction. You are not doing anything that mother nature has not already thought of. All you are doing is speeding the process up some what.

Is there another way to propagate corals?

As mentioned before, it is possible to attach a coral to a rock without using any tools. To do this, place the rock at the base of the coral or where the coral will be in constant contact with the rock. Over a period of time, most corals will grow onto the rock and bud off from their parent coral. The rock with the newly attached coral can then be positioned in another part of your tank or exchanged with an aquarium store or fellow hobbyists for a different species of coral. Attachment times may vary but this is an easy way to propagate corals without manually cutting the coral.

When should I take a cutting?

This is a tricky one. It is possible to take a cutting or cuttings from a single coral as soon as you have bought it and placed it in your tank. We would not advise this unless you have experience in propagation and you are sure the coral was in good condition in the shop. We would actually recommend a reasonable time for a new coral to settle and acclimatise into its new living conditions before it is attempted. If a coral is going through a rest period and is shedding its skin, we would advise you to wait until the coral returns to its former glory. We would not recommend cutting a sick coral as the additional stress may prove fatal. The only exception to this is if you are removing damaged or infected tissue to reduce its spread. In this case ensure that you also remove some healthy tissue surrounding the damaged section, this will prevent the infection from spreading further. If a coral is settled and expanding as normal then this is the time to get the scissors out and start to propagate the coral.

What size should the cutting be?

This is a matter of common sense and personal preference. It is possible to cut a coral clean in half and turn one coral into two. However, we want to promote propagation to provide captive raised specimens. What we mean by this is that the parent is pruned and allowed to re-grow then pruned again rather than hacked into many bits. We would recommend you take a cutting that is at least an inch in length so that it is easy to handle.

Can the cutting be taken in situ in my reef tank?

The majority of corals can be cut in situ with no problem or side effects to the system at all. Certain species such as Sarcophyton sp (Leather Toadstools) produce a large amount of mucus when cut. In these cases and if the coral can be removed easily from the system then do so prior to taking the cutting. Rinse the coral in some tank water and then place back into your tank. Your skimmer will soon remove any mucus found in the water.

What additives should I be adding to propagate corals?

This is a difficult question to answer and many hobbyists add different elements to their marine aquariums. Many hobbyists use Calcium, Strontium, Iodine, kalkwasser etc. We will leave the "water quality" argument for another day. However, we do encourage regular water changes to replenish "all" elements found in salt water and to help maintain the tank in good condition. Water stability is the key.

Will corals naturally propagate in my tank?

Yes, when kept in good conditions many corals will self-propagate and reproduce as they would in the wild. Reports of Sarcophyton, Lobophytums and many others are quite common. However, the vast majority of hobbyists have great success with Mushroom Corals and Polyp Colony's. These corals reproduce in a variety of ways, budding off from the foot, splitting in two or floating away leaving a small bud to grow. Below is a list of the commonly available Mushroom Corals and Polyp Colony's.

Species of mushroom corals and button polyps which can esily propagate

Button Polyp (Zoanthus sp), Giant Button Polyp (Palythoa sp), Star Polyp (Clavularia sp), Clove Polyp (Anthelia sp), Star Xenia (Xenia sp), Green Star (Clavularia virdis), Pulse Coral (Anthelia glauca), Mushroom Coral (Actiniodiscus sp), Furry Mushroom (Rhodactis sp), Giant Cup (Rhodactis gigantea), Green Knobbly (Discosoma florida), Leather Mushroom (Rhodactis sp)

OK, I agree with propagating corals but I am too worried to cut my corals. Can I just buy propagated corals?

Yes, buy them from other hobbyists or demand that your local fish store supplies them.

I have taken your advice and have managed to take several cuttings. I now have too many cuttings for my tank, what shall I do with them?

There are several different ways to pass on your propagated corals. You could approach your local aquatic retailer and swap your propagated corals for new specimens which can then be propagated.

Is propagating corals really making any difference to helping the worlds reefs?

Yes. Every propagated coral bought or swapped is one less taken from the wild. With the ease and very high success rates of soft coral propagation, Reefs UK believes that we can become self-sufficient and drastically reduce the number of soft corals taken from the wild. Reefs UK also fully supports coral farms established within the reefs themselves. This not only provides a way of propagated corals for the trade but employs the local population and provides much needed revenue.

By Reefs UK