Monasteria Microporous Coral

About

The Monasteria Microporous Coral (Montipora monasteriata) is one of those species that rewards a patient, experienced reef keeper willing to meet its fairly uncompromising requirements. Found primarily on upper reef slopes in the wild, it grows in massive forms or as thick plates that stack into layered tiers in larger colonies. A growth pattern that makes well-developed specimens genuinely architecturally interesting in a display tank. The individual corallites are mostly immersed into the surface rather than projecting outward, giving the skeleton a relatively smooth look, while the coenosteum is textured with small papillae and tubercles that catch light in interesting ways under intense reef lighting. Coloration tends toward pale brown or blue, often with contrasting blue or white margins along the growing edges. That blue can sometimes shift to a pinkish tone in photographs, which catches a lot of hobbyists off guard the first time they see it. Like most Montipora, this one needs serious water flow and high-intensity lighting to thrive, and it does not forgive lapses in water quality easily. It is reef safe and poses no threat to neighboring corals through chemical aggression, but it does need adequate space for its plating growth to expand without being shaded out by surrounding colonies.