Alveopora catalai (Daisy Coral): Propagation Guide

How to propagate Alveopora catalai, a flowerpot-type LPS with twelve-tentacle polyps, by colony division, plus notes on its delicate handling and difficulty.

Overview

Alveopora is a genus of large-polyp stony corals native to the Indo-Pacific, often found on reef slopes in turbid water, where the genus remains generally uncommon. Colonies are either massive or branching and frequently have irregular shapes, built on a very light, porous skeleton of interconnecting rods and spines. The polyps are large, fleshy, and normally extended both day and night.

Reproductive Mode

Each Alveopora polyp possesses twelve tentacles, often with swollen knob-like tips, and the tissue carries symbiotic zooxanthellae. The twelve-tentacle count is the classic feature separating Alveopora from the superficially similar Goniopora, which bears twenty-four. In aquaria the practical route to new colonies is asexual division rather than sexual spawning.

Fragging / Asexual Propagation

Propagation is done by dividing a colony so each piece carries intact polyps and a section of the porous skeleton. Because the skeleton is light and brittle, fragments are taken along natural lobes or branches rather than sawn through dense rock. Mounted pieces should be kept in gentle conditions until the tissue seals to the new base.

Conditions for Propagation

Healing frags do best under the colony's own preferred conditions: medium light, low water movement that does not blast the fleshy polyps, and stable parameters. Strong direct flow can keep the polyps retracted and slow recovery.

Common Challenges

The chief challenges are mechanical damage to the porous skeleton during cutting and the genus's overall sensitivity, which makes it harder to keep than many LPS. Polyps that stay retracted for extended periods after fragging signal stress and unsuitable placement or water quality.