Favia speciosa (Pineapple Brain) Propagation Guide

Propagating the pineapple brain coral Dipsastraea speciosa (formerly Favia, Merulinidae) by sawing the massive skeleton between separate-walled corallites, with notes on spawning.

Overview

Dipsastraea speciosa, long known as Favia speciosa, is a massive boulder coral in the family Merulinidae. Its corallites are plocoid, meaning each polyp has its own raised wall, giving the colony a pineapple-like surface. Favia colonies are massive or thickly encrusting, dome-shaped or flat, on a single connected skeleton, so propagation is done by dividing that skeleton.

Reproductive Mode

The colony grows asexually as polyps bud and the separate-walled corallites multiply across the skeleton, all sharing one genotype. Reef-building Merulinidae also reproduce sexually by releasing gametes for external fertilisation. Aquarium propagation uses the asexual route by mechanical division.

Fragging / Asexual Propagation

Choose a healthy colony; because corallites have separate walls, cut between corallites to avoid splitting individual polyps.
Saw through the massive skeleton with a band saw, keeping several whole corallites per frag.
Rinse skeletal debris and mount each frag cut-side down on a plug or rock.
Recover in moderate flow under reduced light until the edge tissues over.

Conditions for Propagation

Stable alkalinity, calcium and magnesium for skeletal repair.
Moderate, clean flow over the cut.
Softened light during early recovery.
Low nutrients to keep exposed skeleton algae-free.

Sexual Reproduction

In nature these brain corals release gametes into the water column during synchronised spawning, with external fertilisation and larval settlement founding new colonies. This is not a routine aquarium propagation method.

Common Challenges

Favia are reliable in captivity, but a fresh cut exposes skeleton that algae can colonise and that may recede if water quality lapses. Cut between corallites rather than through them, and keep handling brief.