Asexual propagation of the soft corals Sinularia sp., Cladiella sp. and Sarcophyton sp. (Octocorallia: Alcyonacea) using different methods of attachment in a recirculating seawater system

Three soft coral cuttings (finger soft coral, Sinularia sp.; black finger soft coral, Cladiella sp. and leather mushroom soft coral, Sarcophyton sp.) were selected to distinguish among the effects of five methods of attachment (adhering, containing, impaling, tethering and a natural attachment method used as a control) in a recirculating seawater system on healing time, time of self-attachment, development of the cuttings and final survival. Three replicate and 30 cuttings per replicate (n = 30) were used for each treatment and the experimental period was 70 days. The results showed that the cuttings of Sinularia sp., Sarcophyton sp. and Cladiella sp. had already healed the wound area with pigmentation between 7 and 12 days for all the methods of attachment. The shortest time of self-attachment for the Sinularia sp., Sarcophyton sp., and Cladiella sp. cuttings was obtained in the impaling method, with average values of 8.2 +/- 0.9 days, 6.1 +/- 0.1 days and 9.00 +/- 0.8 days respectively. At the end of the experiment, the highest average final survival values of the Sinularia sp., Sarcophyton sp. and Cladiella sp. cuttings were obtained in the impaling method (86.7 +/- 5.7%), the containing method (93.3 +/- 5.7%) and the containing method (53.3 +/- 5.7%), respectively. It was concluded from the study that the suitable methods of attachment for each soft coral were different and these methods are available for use in targeted propagation farms for restoration purposes.