| Coral Farms |
| Reproducing Corals in Your Aquarium Even the most difficult corals, such as Acropora spp. are now cultured in home aquariums. Corals will reproduce in aquariums. Some species such as the Pocillopora damicornis and Tubastrea spp., use asexual planulation and the formation of new colonies are easily made. Spawning is also made among the acroporids and other coral species. The brain coral are great examples of reproduction through spawning. Corals are animals, and like all other life forms, must reproduce to maintain or increase their numbers. Many species of coral reproduce by simultaneous “broadcast spawning” of eggs and sperm into the water column that together may form buoyant, slicks at the surface. Fertilization and embryonic development takes place in the slicks without the need for further parental care. Most hermatypic corals use "broadcast spawn" to reproduce. They release gametes eggs and sperm into the water where the gametes become fertilized and develop microscopic larva called a planula which will grow into adult coral. Some species of coral synchronize spawning to occur at the same time. Hermatypic coral include brain coral, elkhorn coral, pillar coral, staghorn coral, blue coral, and the Scleractinia. |
