Soft coral aquaculture is an activity of growing interest due to the degradation of coral reefs worldwide and concomitant growing demand for corals by three industries: marine ornamental trade, pharmaceutical industry and reef restoration.
Factors that influence qualitative and quantitative aspects of soft coral culture and their optimization through the manipulation of key abiotic (e.g. light, water flow) and biotic (e.g. live prey, species interaction) variables are always reviewed and improved.
Success factors for commercial soft coral aquaculture include qualitative aspects, such as shape, coloration and natural product content, and quantitative parameters such as growth and volumetric productivity. Manipulation of environmental factors to maximize soft coral quality and volumetric productivity is thoroughly explored in the production.
