Gary's monti?

[Willistein]

Gary, I got this from you a while back. Is it a Montipora of some kind? I love the growth form.

 

[Capt_Cully]

Definitely Montipora but I bet you'll get more than one response as to species. Spongodes is one of them, confusa would be another. Cool coral regardless. Looks like its doing well.

 

[Gary Majchrzak]

nice coral!

nice coral!

it is a Montipora spp.

 

[Willistein]

That's what I thought, thanks!
Cully, confusa and spongodes both seem right. Oh well, it's a monti. One of my favorites, anyways.

 

[Capt_Cully]

I have what I think are both, but they could be the same, just grown in different tanks and conditions. I just call them, the yellow one, and the green one. Definitely cool growth patterns and big fuzzy polyps.

 

[davidpesce]

What type of lighting/flow do you have that in? I have (what I think is) the same one. After the tank swap, it hasn't been as happy.

 

[Willistein]

I have 2x 250 watt radiums on HQI ballasts, no actinics.
For flow I have 2X maxi 1200-mods: wish I had more flow. Would like to add an MP40 to the mix at some point.

 

[Gary Majchrzak]

I've had fish break off a spire and before I can make a frag, the broken piece cements itself to the coral at a 45 degree angle

directly under a 400w halide this one turns fluorescent yellow and green

 

[SIguy]

I had that Monti a few years back it is Montipora spongides. I got a tiny frag fron Jerry (Drbronx) and in a year it grew to over a foot across a nice coral to own .....

 

[Gary Majchrzak]

Definitely Montipora but I bet you'll get more than one response as to species.

bingo. Why?

Because Montipora are among the most elastic of Scleractinians when it comes to growth forms. I won't even pretend to know what species this is.
Here's a pic of the same coral that Willistein started this thread with (seen below on right). His frag came from this colony.

same coral again