Hump Coral

About

Hump Coral (Porites negrosensis) is a colonial stony coral native to shallow, sheltered reef systems across Indonesia, the Philippines, and Papua New Guinea. It belongs to one of the most ecologically important coral genera on Indo-Pacific reefs, and while it won't turn heads with vivid color, colonies tend toward pale brown or grey, it earns its place through an interesting and unusual growth form. Rather than growing in the smooth mounds typical of many Porites species, this one produces clumps of anastomosing, contorted branches that intertwine and fuse together in irregular, humped masses. Larger, older colonies can also develop flattened basal plates where the structure meets the substrate. Up close, the individual corallites are noticeably wide-spaced and deeply excavated, giving the skeleton a pitted texture between a fine coenosteum. In the aquarium, Porites as a group has a reputation for being somewhat slow-growing and deliberate, and this species fits that pattern. It does best under strong lighting and moderate flow, which reflects the well-lit, protected reef environments it occupies in the wild. Intermediate-level experience is recommended, as Porites corals can be sensitive to water quality swings even if they're not the most demanding of the large-polyp stony coral group.