Hedgehog Coral (Echinopora gemmacea) Propagation Guide

How to propagate Echinopora gemmacea (hedgehog coral): a fast-growing encrusting LPS fragged by cutting the porous plate, then mounted to encrust and spread.

Overview

Echinopora gemmacea, the hedgehog coral, is a stony coral in the family Merulinidae. Echinopora corals carry distinct, raised, dome-shaped corallites that dot the surface with gaps between each one, and the species grows in encrusting and plating forms. This sheet-like growth over rock, with a fairly porous skeleton, makes the genus straightforward to frag.

Reproductive Mode

In aquaria Echinopora is propagated asexually by cutting the plate. Because the colony spreads as a sheet of skeleton studded with corallites, a keeper can cut off a section bearing several corallites and grow it out into a new colony. The genus is fast-growing, so fragments encrust and expand quickly once attached.

Fragging / Asexual Propagation

Choose a section of the encrusting plate that carries several raised corallites.
Cut through the porous skeleton with coral cutters or a band saw; the skeleton divides easily.
Handle gently, as Echinopora skeleton and tissue can be fragile despite the fast growth.
Lay the frag flat on the base rock or plug rather than mounting it upright, which encourages it to encrust.
Place it in medium light and moderate flow to begin encrusting and spreading.

Laying frags down rather than standing them up encourages the encrusting growth that lets Echinopora cover a mount quickly.

Conditions for Propagation

Echinopora is largely photosynthetic and does well under medium light and moderate flow. Stable temperature near 24-26 degrees Celsius, pH 8.1-8.4, and steady alkalinity, calcium, and magnesium feed the fast skeletal growth that drives its encrusting spread.

Common Challenges

Echinopora can be moderately aggressive and may extend tentacles toward neighbors, so frags need room as they expand. The skeleton is described as fairly fragile, so cuts should be deliberate and the coral handled carefully to avoid tissue damage.