Pore Coral

About

Pore coral (Montipora crassituberculata) is one of the more architecturally interesting members of a genus not usually known for dramatic surface texture. Colonies grow as submassive mounds, encrusting plates, or stacked flat tiers, and what really sets this species apart is its surface detail: the corallites are a mix of immersed and raised conical forms with noticeably thick walls, and both the thecae and the surrounding coenosteum are studded with chunky papillae that give the whole colony a rough, almost cobbled appearance. Base coloration tends toward uniform brown or a muted blue that often reads as purple in photographs, but the corallite centers can display brighter, contrasting tones that break up the otherwise plain body color. In the wild this species occupies upper and lower reef slopes, meaning it can cope with a fairly wide range of depth and light conditions. Though in the aquarium it still demands very strong lighting and vigorous, consistent flow to stay healthy. Like most Montipora, it is considered reef safe and will not bother neighboring corals through chemical or physical aggression, but the combination of high-intensity requirements and its sensitivity to water quality places it firmly in the advanced keeper category. Patience and a mature, stable system are the baseline here.