Red Planet Acropora (Acropora millepora): Propagation Guide

Propagating the designer Red Planet morph of Acropora millepora by snapping or cutting branch tips and gluing to plugs, with spawning biology and RTN warnings.

Overview

Red Planet is a designer color morph of Acropora millepora, a small colonial coral of the family Acroporidae that grows in clumps of short, cylindrical branches with same-sized radial corallites that give a scale-like look. The species grows in shallow water between two and twelve metres deep across the Indo-Pacific and is zooxanthellate; the Red Planet line is prized for deep red branches with bright green polyps.

Reproductive Mode

Acropora reproduces sexually during mass spawning and asexually through fragmentation, which occurs naturally when branches break. A named designer line such as Red Planet is perpetuated entirely by fragmentation so the color is preserved; finger-sized fragments can grow into large colonies in one to two years under good conditions.

Fragging / Asexual Propagation

A branch tip is removed with bone cutters or a coral saw, the plug is soaked and then dried along with the cut base, and a bead of cyanoacrylate glue about the size of the frag base is applied before pressing the frag in place for around thirty seconds. The frag is returned to good flow and light a few hours later, where polyps extend and the coral encrusts the plug.

Conditions for Propagation

Acropora demands bright light, stable temperature, regular calcium and alkalinity dosing, and clean, turbulent water. New frags can start in slightly lower light and flow and be raised once the tissue seals; consistent lighting also helps the Red Planet line hold its red and green coloration.

Common Challenges

Acropora millepora is susceptible to bleaching, coral diseases, and RTN/STN, which can be triggered by unstable water quality, stress, or shipping. Designer Acropora can also lose color under poor conditions, so keeping an insurance frag and stable parameters protects both the colony and its prized coloration.