Raising Baby Plate Corals from the dead

[bumpyj38]

Looking for any advice on raising the babies that come from a dead fungia plate coral. I have added a picture below. I was given a mostly dead Orange plate coral to try and save (from a buddy) and it didn’t last long. I tossed it in the back of my tank almost a year ago and it started sprouting up babies. While I knew this could happen, there isn’t really any info on what to do after it happens. Do I put this in some kind of mushroom box so that when they detach they don’t float away under some rock? I’ve even heard a rumor that I am eventually supposed to break them off. Any actual experience and suggestions on how to successfully transition the baby plates are welcome.

 

[blaxsun]

I've only been successful in killing mine off, so best of luck!

 

[reef_ranch]

No need to do anything really, they'll detach themselves although at that size, its safe to break them off. They don't need any more care than you're giving them if they grew to that size in your tank.

 

[encrustingacro]

Your plate corals might not be fungias. Most plate corals in the hobby are other genus of fungiids. The only plate coral I know of that makes babies when it dies is the non long tentacle species of heliofungia.

 

[DeniseAndy]

I would just keep doing what you are doing. They look to be growing nicely. So cool to see this.

If you are worried about them detaching and floating, you can make a little container for them so they do not get lost. Might not be pretty in the tank though.

 

[bumpyj38]

I guess it took care of itself. One of the baby plates detached. I grabbed it and threw it in a mushroom box I made out of spare acrylic. It has already started to grow faster. Or at least open up more. I will just keep picking them up as they detach and toss them in a container.

 

[DeniseAndy]

I love this! So cool.

 

[Naso110]

One of my LFS had one do this is the back part of the store (hidden area of the store). He did exactly what u are doing. They grew fast up to about 2" with skeleton in about 6 months. He then sold out the healthy babies.

 

[bumpyj38]

Anyone who was interested or searches for what to do: the answer is leave the plate coral there. It will sprout babies and you still leave them. They will detach when they are ready. Then you must grab them before they get blown under a rock. Put them somewhere safe. An anemone guard for a mp40 works great. The plate will continue to sprout babies for an unknown amount of time. I’m up to about 15-20 and still going.

 

[bumpyj38]

Update: still sprouting babies well over a year after it started. Steady producing.

 

[Katrina71]

Update: still sprouting babies well over a year after it started. Steady producing.

Had no idea they'd produce more than once! Very cool!

 

[DIYreefer]

That's really cool. I need to source a dead plate coral lol.

 

[Tired]

I wonder if there's a method to reliably 'kill' a plate coral in such a way to prompt it to do this. Since this is, evidently, an effective means by which to propagate them.

 

[Haggisman14]

Wow, wild! I wouldn’t have thought that would be possible once the parent kicks the bucket!

 

[revhtree]

So cool! I had the same thing happen to a red one.

 

[Ryebreadiest]

This feels like the start of a very interesting propagation method for a coral that is generally wild caught, no?

 

[Haggisman14]

So cool! I had the same thing happen to a red one.

That’s a boatload of babies!!!

 

[bumpyj38]

So cool! I had the same thing happen to a red one.

Wow that is a lot. Mine had no more than 10 at a time. But has steadily produced at least 25-30 over time. They are bigger than the original now

 

[bumpyj38]

I wonder if there's a method to reliably 'kill' a plate coral in such a way to prompt it to do this. Since this is, evidently, an effective means by which to propagate them.

From what I understand this is not uncommon but doesn’t always happen either. I will tell you how it died though. A buddy had this coral. Parameters were off. He gave it to me and it was already stressed and beginning to lose flesh. I put it in my tank to try to save it and it didn’t make it. The rest is in the first post I made.