Propagating Montipora foliosa (Foliosa Montipora)

Propagation guide for foliose Montipora foliosa: cutting petal-like layers into chips with a band saw, gluing to plugs, recovery conditions, and the nudibranch pest.

Overview

Montipora foliosa is a foliose coral of the family Acroporidae that builds distinct, petal-like layers. Across the genus the foliaceous form is one of several morphologies, alongside submassive, laminar, encrusting and branching shapes, and a colony may show more than one. Montipora is restricted to the Indo-Pacific and Red Sea and is absent from the Atlantic.

Reproductive Mode

Montipora are hermaphroditic broadcast spawners that release gametes, typically in spring; the eggs carry zooxanthellae from the parent. Hobbyists propagate the species asexually instead, by cutting and re-mounting fragments.

Fragging / Asexual Propagation

Foliose plates are thin and divide cleanly. A band saw produces tidy chips from the layered skeleton, and coral cutters handle finer cuts. Flat fragments bond most reliably to a plug.

1. Cut the petal-like layers into small, flat chips with a band saw or coral cutters.
2. Apply cyanoacrylate glue sized to the chip base on a plug or disc.
3. Seat the chip, hold about 30 seconds, then place it back in the tank.
4. Restore good flow and light within a few hours of fragging.

Conditions for Propagation

Stable reef chemistry and steady light promote rapid layering growth after fragging. The Aquairi record targets medium-high light (about 150-250 PAR), medium-high flow and 24-26 C.

Common Challenges

An undescribed Phestilla nudibranch preys specifically on Montipora and is well camouflaged against the tissue. Dip and quarantine new frags as the primary defense.