Pore Coral

About

Pore coral (Montipora stilosa) is one of the more texturally interesting members of a genus that already has plenty of personality. Colonies grow in an encrusting to submassive form, and up close the surface is anything but flat. Each corallite sits raised and is ringed by a tidy circle of thecal papillae, while additional papillae cover the coenosteum between them, giving the whole colony a bristly, almost thorny look. Colors tend toward muted earth tones: mottled browns, creams, and red-browns that reward a second glance rather than announcing themselves from across the tank. In the wild this species occupies reef environments across the Indo-West Pacific, from the western Indian Ocean out through tropical latitudes. Like most Montipora, it demands serious light and brisk, consistent water movement to thrive in captivity, and its needs overall place it firmly in the advanced category. Thin-tissued Montiporas are notoriously sensitive to water quality swings and nutrient imbalances, and this species is no exception. It belongs in a mature, stable reef system with a keeper who knows their parameters and keeps them steady. Given the right conditions though, its spiny, sculptural surface makes it a genuinely interesting addition to any serious reef display.