How much space should I give encrusting Montipora?

[DGibster]

I’m setting up a Montipora dominant nano and was wondering how much space they need. Are they easy to remove from the rock work or should I keep each of them isolated on their own rock?

[Reefkid88]

I'd say a few inches,maybe 2-3" between it and another coral. Depending on what coral is near it,maybe more. Monti's can take off what seems to be instantly and start encrusting or can take weeks. 

 

 Normally once they do,its game on from there and they take off. 

 

 I have had monti's start spreading literally days after putting it in my tank. 

[jservedio]

You should give it as much space as you want it to have. Encrusting montis cannot be removed from the rock at all - the only way to trim them back is with a bone cutters gouging out chunks or simply scraping the flesh off the skeleton. When they reach the edges of where they can grow, they tend to "bunch up" which makes removing chunks for frags pretty easy, but they will grow over everything they can.

 

You definitely want to isolate encrusting montis or make sure that they are hemmed in by more aggressive corals that can keep them in check since montis tend to grow much faster than pretty much everything else.

[Nano sapiens]

I have an encrusting 'Sunset Monti' (not the old-school Tyree LE) that I keep hemmed in with Pavona and Stylocoeniella.  Thing plates out to 1", too, so it has quite a reach for an encruster.

 

Many SPS specialists go so far as to have their Montis isolated on their own individual rocks since they just don't quit coming back (they can quickly overgrow other coral that are not really healthy and fighting back).

 

[DGibster]

I Appreciate the advice guys! If anyone has any photos of their encrusting montis I would very much appreciate it! I’ll probably lean more into digitatas and Capricornis. 
 

This is what my current hardscape looks like.

[Thrassian Atoll]

A lot of space.  My mystic sunset monti has encrusted probably 8” in a little over a year.  I’ve chipped pieces off repeatedly as well.  
 

 

[DevilDuck]

Anyone have encrusting monti go against a rock flower anemone? I have my sunset monti frag on a rock occupied by 2 rock flowers. Will it still encrust the rock surrounding the rock flowers? 

Any tips with Sunset Monti? Do they grow better in low or higher light?

 

 

 

[Nano sapiens]

On 4/1/2021 at 9:23 AM, DevilDuck said:

Anyone have encrusting monti go against a rock flower anemone? I have my sunset monti frag on a rock occupied by 2 rock flowers. Will it still encrust the rock surrounding the rock flowers? 

Any tips with Sunset Monti? Do they grow better in low or higher light?

I would expect that the Monti would have necrosis where the RFA touches it, but would grow anywhere else it's not in direct contact with the anemone.

 

'Old school' Sunset Monti are awesome and I've had mine for ages.  I've found that they grow well even in relatively low light (for SPS) from ~130 PAR on up with a more muted base coloration, but color up nicely around 170-200 PAR.  You can probably push these to 250 PAR (although I haven't tried) or even a bit more with LEDs, but you run the risk of bleaching them out.