Pink Lemonade Acropora Propagation Guide
Propagation of the 'Pink Lemonade' color morph of Acropora millepora, a pink-bodied small-polyp stony coral with yellow polyps, increased by branch-tip fragging in the reef aquarium.
Overview
"Pink Lemonade" is a reefer-bred color morph of Acropora millepora, a small-polyp stony coral in the family Acroporidae. As described on Wikipedia, A. millepora forms small colonies in clumps of short cylindrical branches, and its radial corallites are uniform in size with projecting lower rims that look scale-like. This morph presents a pink body with yellow polyps and a bright base, a selection within the species' naturally variable coloration.
Reproductive Mode
Acropora reproduce asexually and sexually; in the aquarium Pink Lemonade is multiplied by fragmentation. It is a zooxanthellate species harbouring symbiotic dinoflagellates (Symbiodinium) that photosynthesise to feed the coral, so fragments carry over the parent's symbionts and colour. Wikipedia notes captive propagation of Acropora is widespread in the hobby.
Fragging / Asexual Propagation
Remove a branch tip of roughly 2-5 cm with bone-cutters and bond it to a frag plug using cyanoacrylate gel or epoxy. The axial corallite at the tip directs vertical growth, so keeping the tip intact accelerates healing. According to Wikipedia, finger-sized fragments can grow into medicine-ball-sized colonies in one to two years when kept well.
Conditions for Propagation
Wikipedia states Acropora needs bright light, stable temperatures, regular calcium and alkalinity supplementation, and clean turbulent water. Mount frags under high light and strong flow with stable alkalinity, calcium and magnesium and low nutrients so they encrust the plug and resume branching.
Sexual Reproduction
In the wild Acropora spawn once a year in synchronised broadcast mass-spawning events, releasing buoyant packets of eggs and sperm into the water for external fertilisation. This is not normally reproduced in home tanks, where fragmentation is the practical method.