Hump Coral

About

Hump Coral (Porites echinulata) is a Red Sea native that grows in the shallow reef zones of the Western Indian Ocean, forming either broad, flattened masses or squat columns with flat tops. What sets it apart from other massive Porites at a glance is the texture: the coenosteum, the skeletal tissue between individual corallites, has a granulated, almost sandpapery quality that gives the colony a noticeably rough surface, something you can actually pick out underwater once you know to look for it. Coloration is on the understated side, running through grays and tans rather than anything particularly vivid, which is pretty typical for the genus. In the aquarium, Hump Coral fits into the same general care niche as other large-polyp stony corals from the Porites group. It appreciates solid lighting and moderate water movement to keep waste from settling on its surface and to deliver nutrients to the polyps. Given its Red Sea origins, consistent, high-quality water conditions will keep it happiest. This one is best suited to a keeper who already has some experience managing a reef system rather than someone just starting out.