Montipora (Encrusting)
SPSMontipora spp.
A plating colony is not automatically M. capricornis. “Digitata” is a species name also used loosely in listings; growth form alone cannot verify it.
Family: Acroporidae
Plates, crusts and branches are growth forms, not a reliable species key. Fine surface detail matters.
Care
Moderate
Lighting
Medium-High
Flow
Medium
How to recognise it
Look for small polyps across the colony surface and record how the colony grows. A whole-colony view plus a sharp close-up is more useful than colour alone.
Similar corals
- Acropora
- Look for a distinct terminal cup at the branch tip, with smaller cups along the sides. Montipora lacks that specialised axial cup. A distant branch silhouette will not show this.
In the tank
Placement & flow
Provide changing flow that prevents debris settling. Plates can shade what grows below. Tidal Gardens starts new specimens around 125–150 PAR and raises light gradually; established colonies there receive about 200–300 PAR.
Feeding
Primarily photosynthetic. Fine broadcast foods can supplement nutrition; heavy feeding can create nutrient and algae problems.
Space & neighbours
Allow growth space: fast plates and crusts can shade or overgrow neighbours.
What to watch for
Inspect pale or damaged margins for tissue loss and small white Montipora-eating nudibranchs. Increasing growth also increases alkalinity and calcium demand.
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Available from stores
Current in-stock Montipora (Encrusting) listings in United Kingdom.
Sources
- Tidal Gardens — Montipora care
- Zhao et al. (2021) — Acropora and related genera
- NOAA — Coral aquarium parameters, Table 6 (2013) (PDF)
Sources checked 14 October 2026.