I think of all the corals I've met, Montiporids would be my favorite.

Please note, all species ID's are purely guesswork and not meant as definitive. I had a lot of smart help online for some ... so that counts for something.

Go back to `Corals' Page

Ugh, Montipora-eating nudibranches. Most Montiporids are removed from the 58 [to basement tub] for dipping/manual removal. Appears to be going fairly well, but quite a lot of damage happened in the initial outbreak.

I will update with what I learn, once I feel I've had success.

 

For a full slideshow of my Montipora pictures - see the bottom of this page for my current Monti gallery.

Montipora digitata

I have a number of varieties, and one of my first small polyped stony corals. Favorites include the ORA `german blue' polyped variety, which really looks light purple. Very fast growing, oddly branching coral. Over time it's had a range of colorations - but generally easy to color and fast growing.

Color-wise, digitata has some nice variants. The pink one I have just glows under actinic [as photo'ed] - but overall I've found digitata to be fast growing, hardy, and great to have.

I've had one unusual digitata-type, a ocean-aquaculture piece I got in the summer of 2004. Came in from under heavy 20k lighting - just an incredible color. That has shifted to purple, with brown on the polyps and overall grown very slowly for a digitata-type.
I have considered 20k lighting to see how this [among other] corals react - and am letting it grow in the meantime.

The newest one to the collection

 

Montipora stellata

Wild colony, assumed Fiji, late 2004 purchase.
Came in with a few serpent-like stars living in the coral, the largest still resides there.

Photo of coral on first purchase, polyps not extended much - but shows unique structure.

After a month or so

More recent update. Corals has been fragged a little, present color not as nice as it has been. Just starting to do more than send growth tips as it settles in, expect it to have very nice potential when grown to size.

 

Montipora capricornis or like

`Elkhorn' Monti and the like

A newer variety to me. Have one small frag and the below pictured one, which is a Bali aquaculture piece I picked up June 2005.

Montipora confusa

Interesting growth form, favorite perch for the green clown goby for a period.

Encrusting Montipora

I have a couple encrusting Montiporids, not pictured here. More to come.

 

 

 

 

 

The full slideshow can be found below

 
 

 

 
   
   
 

All images and content reserved.