Knopia octocontacanalis Propagation Guide

Propagating Knopia octocontacanalis, the Jasmine coral, by dividing its encrusting colony, with notes on its kinship to clove polyps and its eight fused-pinnule tentacles.

Overview

Knopia octocontacanalis, known in the hobby as the Jasmine coral, is the only member of the genus Knopia and was described as recently as 2007. Its closest relative is the clove polyp genus Clavularia, with both carrying eight tentacles; in Knopia the pinnules are fused rather than frilly. The coral is predominantly brown with a green centre on each polyp that glows neon under blue light, and it is an encrusting soft coral that spreads across rockwork.

Reproductive Mode

As an encrusting coral that spreads over rock, Knopia is propagated asexually by dividing the spreading colony, in the same manner as its clove polyp relatives.

Fragging / Asexual Propagation

Because the colony encrusts and spreads, a frag is taken by cutting through the encrusting base or by letting the colony grow onto adjacent rock or plugs and separating them, then securing the piece to a clean surface until it re-attaches and resumes spreading.

Conditions for Propagation

Knopia is regularly farmed and shipped from Indonesia and is a forgiving space-filler in new tanks. Most guidance favours lower flow and lower light, but specimens have also thrived near 250 PAR and pump outlets, so frags adapt across the parameters recorded for this species in the knowledge base. It is non-aggressive and coexists with Clavularia, Briareum and Xenia.

Common Challenges

Farmed colonies benefit from a pest dip before fragging, as the coral is vulnerable to Phyllodesmium sea slugs that mimic its appearance and feed on it.