Experimental propagation of my scolymia

[luu78]

Hi guys,

Earlier today, I found a couple baby sun coral polyps on the bottom of my scoly's skeleton when I tried to re-position it on the eggcrate. Ive been meaning to flatten its skeleton for awhile now for ease of handling/feeding if its flat and level. So on the saw it went. Nice cut I thought, scoly can now sit flat on any surface now without rotating randomly due to tankmate disturbance. Then, I said what the heck, let's try to induce the scoly to self-propagate (might not be correct the term). I then went ahead and did a second cut from the back but stops before ripping its flesh. I just want to see what the coral will do on its own. What do you think will happen to the cut? Will it slowly separate completely and mouth will form on cut frag? I bent the 2 pieces to further stretch the cut without ripping the flesh. Here are the pictures of what I did...

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[Chris A.]

Interesting theory
I think if I was going to try it I'd do that down the middle, underside of the mouth.

 

[luu78]

Cutting through the mouth I think would be achievable but seems a bit more risky to me. Sometimes, only half survive. If this experiment fails, then I will attempt that the cutting thru mouth method. For now, I want to know if fragging without a mouth will create a new additional mouth or not. In the past, I've done the same experiment with the short tentacle fungia plate coral and the frag grew a mouth in a month or so. I personally think this is the least stressful propagation method for the colony and would have the best future propagation yields if successful. I want to minimize fatal casualty to the colony. I have seen wild-caught combo scolies grown within each other and theorized that it must've been partially severed physically...but have survived and now become 2. By not cutting thru the flesh, this allows the coral to have time to adjust and minimize probability of local infection. Hopefully, it will rip open slowly as it feels comfortable on its own pace. Too much exposed wound all at once from cutting thru increases exposure to infection and create most shock to coral.


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[luu78]

The splitting process has begun...

I notice the flesh on the frag becomes more bumpy. Thats the only visual difference I see


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[luu78]

Update:

Anyone seen this on their scolys before? Let me know what you guys think


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[luu78]

Zoomed out pic for better clarification:

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[showard]

Wow if this works...

 

[steevareno]

That's pretty cool.

 

[luu78]

I might insert more pics taken before this one later...


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[aresangel]

This is great! Thanks Ben! I though you couldn't frag a scoly. It will be interesting to see how this works out.


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[Robertos Reef]

Very interesting

 

[kgstei]

Got to love a mad scientist.

 

[dz6t]

Is there a new mouth forming in the smaller section?
I think the smaller section is feeding off the main section at this time as the tissue is fully connected.

 

[luu78]

Is there a new mouth forming in the smaller section?
I think the smaller section is feeding off the main section at this time as the tissue is fully connected.

Hi Dong, no mouth on small frag yet. I think it will take over the course of a few months for this to occur. I plan to leave 1/4" of flesh connected instead of full separation just in case...I will stop the stretching once there's 1/4" flesh between them.


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[dz6t]

I am wondering if it will form a new month as long as it attached to the main body. Just a thought.


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[luu78]

Thats my theory. Seeing how they have twin/triplets available from time to time. I suspect these scolies normally found on side of overhangs mustve fallen off then crushed/damaged but still intact and over the course of a year or so, develop new mouths on the fragments while feeding off the mother via leftover attachment


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[luu78]

I recently started feeding the scoly since it looks healthy and very normal...

The recovery seems to go well, I'm very hopeful that something exciting will result from this experiment in a few months. In the mean time, I will continue my observation and photograph any unusual happenings on the scoly and maintain a stable water quality as best as I can.


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[luu78]

Hi guys, this is my Tuesday night highlight...new growth observed. Look at the pictures and let us know what you guys think the new growth could be. Thanks

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[luu78]

Any thoughts about the new growth? From the look of it, I think its a baby scoly. Gonna try to feed near it to see its reaction tonight


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[Chris A.]

That would be cool