Walt Disney Acropora Propagation Guide
How to frag and propagate the 'Walt Disney' color morph of Acropora millepora, a small-polyp stony coral grown by branch-tip fragging under high light and strong flow.
Overview
"Walt Disney" is a named ultra color morph of Acropora millepora, a small-polyp stony coral in the family Acroporidae. According to Wikipedia, A. millepora is a small colonial coral that grows in clumps with short cylindrical branches, and its radial corallites are all the same size with projecting lower rims that give them a scale-like appearance. The natural colour is variable and may be green with orange-tipped branches, pale pink, orange, plain green or blue; the Walt Disney morph is a multicolored aquacultured selection of this species.
Reproductive Mode
Acropora corals reproduce both asexually and sexually. In aquaria, asexual fragmentation is the practical route: A. millepora harbours symbiotic dinoflagellates (Symbiodinium) in its tissues that supply energy through photosynthesis, so fragments retain the parent's algal symbionts and coloration. Wikipedia notes that captive propagation of Acropora is widespread in the reef-keeping community.
Fragging / Asexual Propagation
Cut or snap a healthy branch tip of roughly 2-5 cm with bone-cutters, then attach it to a frag plug using cyanoacrylate gel or epoxy. The axial corallite at the branch tip drives upward regrowth, so leaving the tip intact speeds recovery. Wikipedia reports that finger-sized fragments can grow into medicine-ball-sized colonies in one to two years in a well-maintained reef aquarium.
Conditions for Propagation
Wikipedia states that Acropora requires bright light, stable temperatures, regular addition of calcium and alkalinity supplements, and clean, turbulent water. Frags should be placed under high light and strong flow with stable alkalinity, calcium and magnesium and low nutrients to encourage encrustation onto the plug and new growth.
Sexual Reproduction
In the wild Acropora reproduce by annual broadcast mass-spawning, releasing buoyant packets of eggs and sperm into the water column on synchronised nights. This event is generally not reproduced in home aquaria, where propagation relies on fragmentation.