Substantial advancement in aquaria rearing methods to assist recovery of an Endangered soft coral

Abstract The temperate soft coral Dendronephthya australis has been listed as Endangered in NSW, Australia, owing to its restricted geographic range, rapidly declining populations, and a number of escalating threats. Research assess practical methods for aquarium cultivation D. rehabilitation wild populations is considered high priority. Previous attempts at restoration by transplanting fragments have had limited success, but identified key challenges, which included achieving attachment substrates identifying appropriate foods maximize survival. This study presents the results experiments promoting cuttings (nubbins) removed from donor colonies moveable (small concrete discs). Using balanced orthogonal experimental design, three feeding regimes were tested: live artemia, rotifers dry powdered zooplankton. Donor colony survival growth also monitored over 6 month period field. An overall nubbin rate 100% was achieved under all regimes. Attachment rates similar across treatments, although behavioural responses (percentage open polyps before feeding) suggested some preference rotifers. cutting removal process no significant effect on wild, indicating that this sustainable approach restoration. Overall, substantially advances methodology maintaining an azooxanthellate aquaria provides valuable input management programmes aimed implementing transplantation into aid species recovery.