Last updated: April 20, 2023 at 15:39 pm
The breeding of corals in laboratories, aquaculture facilities, and yes, even home aquariums, represents a sea change for coral propagation. Whereas asexual propagation is the industry norm for a wide range of cultivated varieties, not all corals can be divided (fragged, to use the industry and hobby term), and not all corals are fast-growing. Additionally, the asexual propagation of corals imparts no genetic diversity. Instead, massive populations of a single genetic clone are the result of current propagation practices.
CORAL Magazine has covered the topic of sexual reproduction in corals in many past issues, and in 2021 the goal of creating a coral-breeding primer was met with our January/February issue, SPAWNING NIGHTS.
What starts here today is a repository of knowledge for any would-be coral breeder. It will serve as a resource of links and references to CORAL’s print and online articles, and supplemental information, that will be valuable to anyone seeking to breed coral. Readers are invited to share their insights, findings, comments sand questions in the comment section at the end of this page.
ONLINE RESOURCES & COMMUNITIES
CoralSpawningLab.org – Includes off-the-shelf coral spawning systems, shipping-container-based spawning systems that can be deployed around the world.
Coral Spawning Lab – Facebook group for coral breeders from Coral Spawning Lab.
Neptune Systems’ Coral Breeding Forum – created to support coral breeders utilizing the APEX line of aquarium controllers for coral breeding projects.
ONLINE JOURNAL ARTICLES
Inducing broadcast coral spawning ex situ: Closed system mesocosm design and husbandry protocol by Jamie Craggs James R. Guest Michelle Davis Jeremy Simmons Ehsan Dashti Michael Sweet
Ex situ co culturing of the sea urchin, Mespilia globulus and the coral Acropora millepora enhances early post-settlement survivorship – by Jamie Craggs, James Guest, Mark Bulling & Michael Sweet
January/February 2021
CORAL Excerpt: Dawn of a New Era for Marine Aquarists? by James Lawrence
Video: Remote Monitoring of a Coral Spawn by Richard Ross
PAST CORAL ISSUES
The evolving topic of coral breeding has been examined in many past issues of CORAL, starting as early as 2006. Below are a list of issues with articles relevant specifically covering this exciting aspect of the reef aquarium hobby.
Articles of interest in this issue:
- Spawning Nights — Planned ex situ Acropora reproduction: A decade of coral love-making by Jamie Craggs, Ph.D., page 26
- Ripe For Innovation — Coral sex in the aquarium by Richard Ross, page 40
- Coral Whispering — Spawning is one thing, then there is the morning after by Keri O’Neil, page 56
Articles of interest in this issue:
- Advanced Aquatics: Leptastrea purpurea—A model stony coral for research and captive breeding by Samuel Nietzer, page 106
Articles of interest in this issue:
- Propagating Stony Corals — Advances in coral culture by Samuel Nietzer, page 28
- Coral Farming 2.0: Sexual Reproduction by Samuel Nietzer, page 42
Articles of interest in this issue:
- Project Coral by Jamie Craggs, page 78
Articles of interest in this issue:
- Photo Essay: Corals: Sexual Propagation in the Aquarium by Daniel Knop, page 18
- Coral Spawning at ReefHQ by Dr. Kirsten Michalek-Wagner, page 28
- Favla fragum in the Aquarium — A Case Study in Sexual Propagation by Anja Cargill, Dr. Dirk Petersen and Professor Helmut Schumacher, page 34
- Creating Artificial Substrate for Coral Larval Settlement by Dr. Dirk Petersen, page 38
- Propagating Stony Corals in your own Living Room by Daniela Stettlerk, page 40
- The SECORE Project by Dr. Dirk Petersen, page 44
- Overview: Cnidarians That Have Been Noted to Spawn or Reproduce in the Aquarium by Daniel Knop, page 46
Matt Pedersen says:
Jonathan, I've sent messages through two avenues I have for him and included your info. Perhaps you'll be able to connect.Jonathan Baskin says:
I am trying to reach Henry Feddern. We were students together in U or Miami Marine lab it the 1960s.I see that the interview was done in 2011 so maybe the address you gave for him, which I have tried, may no longer be valid.CORAL Video: Banggai Ban with Bob Likins says:
[…] https://www.reef2rainforest.com/2023/08/22/are-banggai-cardinals-depleted-in-the-wild/ […]Vinny Kreyling says:
Congrats to Mark on his new position.I know I speak for many wishing him the best.Robert Di Marco says:
Hi Matt, I always read with great interest your articles on any new species being bred and especially the loves of my fish life, the Clownfish. (I was the first Clownfish breeder in Canada back in the late 80’s, having reared 9 varieties from a basement operation and have spoken at MACNA twice and given over 75 presentations, on maintaining marine tanks and rearing Clownfish, in all the four corners of Canada and the US. My goal was to try and raise as many different varieties as possible to avoid taking any more off the reefs. Your article on the first raising of the Oman Clownfish struck a particular chord with me. At the MACNA XXVI held in Denver Colorado, Colorado August 29-31, 2014, we took the opportunity to visit the Denver Aquarium and I was stunned to see a pair of Oman Clownfish on display because everything I had heard was that collection and exporting from Oman was prohibited. Here is one of the pictures we took: I had a particular fascination with this species of Clownfish because they develop a more pronounced forked caudal fin as they mature, even more than some “clarkii”. I tried to speak to someone at the Denver Aquarium about if they had tried or had any plans to try to breed them and unfortunately no one at the Aquarium that day knew anything about them and even what type of Clownfish they were. All they did know was that an anonymous donor had given the pair to the Aquarium. I even wrote to them to offer any assistance but I never got a reply. So, all these years, I am truly pleased to hear that another species will be reared in captivity, this again is of particular interest because I am preparing to give a talk (which I have given a few times since 2014), entitled “ANEMONE FISHES OF THE WORLD”. I confirmed my last update in communication with Dr. Gerry Allen, (we spoke together at a MACNA), when he discovered the Amphiprion Pacificus. In this talk. besides the ones that I raised personally, I also identify the species that have been raised by different breeders and facilities. Previously you used to issue a list of Marine fish that had been raised in captivity, but since 2019 I have not been able to find an updated version which now of course would include the Oman Clownfish. Can you tell me if such a new list exists and I would like to see which species of Clownfish that have still not been reared. Thanks Robert Di MarcoVIDEO Inside Look: AMAZONAS Magazine “FRESHWATER STING says:
[…] That’s right, you can now get Inside Look, your exclusive sneak peek at the brand new issue of the aquarium magazine AMAZONAS, in video format! Host Alex Rose walks you through the latest issue, FRESHWATER STINGRAYS, the September/October 2023 edition. You can still get the FRESHWATER STINGRAYS Inside Look in a readable format as well! […]