Massive & Encrusting Coral Nurseries
Propagating Massive and Encrusting Corals
The vast majority of corals in this category will fuse fragments from the same genotype into a sexually mature colony. The goal of the fusion method is to produce a 10- to 20-year-old sized spawning colony in approximately 2 years — a substantially shorter time than it would take in the wild from natural recruitment or from a single propagated fragment.
The length of time from collection to outplant will vary significantly with each species and growth form, but in general will be 2 to 4 years from collection to outplant.
Massive and encrusting corals are propagated on plugs or "cookies" arranged in tables in the ocean or in land-based nurseries (LBN).
Nursery Fragment Size
There is not a single dimensional fragment size that will work across genera for massive and encrusting corals, given the wide variation of corallite size and growth form. Generally:
- A minimum of 3 to 4 polyps for corallites 1 cm and above
- A minimum of 1 square cm for species where corallites are 1 to 2 mm
- Very large polyps, like Lobophyllia or Plerogyra, can be a single polyp
- In general, slightly larger fragments are recommended for corals if grown in in-situ nurseries
Residence Time
In general, mounding corals will spend 2 to 4 years in a nursery structure.
Substrate
Fragments can be glued to a plug, tile, or coral cookie. Tiles can be homemade or purchased commercially.
- Cement is cheapest and easier to make substrate
- Ceramic tiles and plugs are superior for re-fragmentation
Post-Encrustment Options
Once the coral has completely encrusted onto and covered the substrate (coral cookie), one of three things can be done:
- Move to fusion mold
- Re-fragment
- Outplant
Fusion
In the fusion workflow, an artificial substrate mold is made in a natural shape. Multiple fragments of 3 to 10 (or more) are glued to the mold. The coral is left to grow out until corallites fuse, typically 1 to 2 years. In some instances, fragments or smaller fused colonies can be planted in an array to facilitate fusion over natural substrate. This method is used particularly to "reskin" with live tissue over massive and mounding substrate.