Mounting Encrusting Montis

[BigJohnny]

Hey Reefers,

So I've never mounted an encrusting montipora on my rock work before (first time I've had them). If I don't remove the frag disc, will it be really obvious after they grow out? Most of the frags are on a small rock on top of a disc. I tried to remove the rock from the disc with a scalpel and various other tools (normally other frags pop right off) but was unable. For those that were fully encrusted, I didn't want to try. One is on those wacky reef gen plugs and when I tried to pop it off I broke off a piece so stopped.

Here is what I have now:

This one I just snipped off the bottom of the plug and glued it to a piece of rock so that I could easily move it around during light acclimation/while I find a good spot for it.

This one is very small and on a small disc so not that bad. I couldn't pop the rock off the disc.

This one is fully encrusted so I didn't know what to do

This one is basically fully encrusted but only has a small tile under it on top of the disc.

This one is partially encrusted but on one side there was a gap between the rock and plug. I tried to get the rock off but could not (I have no idea why it was so hard as normally with super glue it pops off so quickly)

I obviously don't want to see discs at the center of all my montis once they are encrusted on the rocks, but since the rock has a very irregular surface, I'm not sure I'd notice em all anyway since there will be many ups and downs of even more severity.

I want to keep them on the discs while they acclimate and so I can try them in my desired locations before I mount them to the rocks, but if anyone knows a way to safely remove them when I want to that may be best. I have also been told I can basically create a ramp with aquascape putty down from the top of the monti to the edge of the frag disc so that when it grows out it will grow over that and look more natural.

Thoughts?

 

[alb_56]

You could always pop the original center frag of and let the encrusted part grow back in the center. That way you would have two of them. Or you could break the plug apart into pieces.

 

[theatrus]

I've always resorted to hacking off the plug "pin" and letting it encrust from there, but curious to see other solutions as well

 

[BigJohnny]

You could always pop the original center frag of and let the encrusted part grow back in the center. That way you would have two of them. Or you could break the plug apart into pieces.

Do you mean letting it grow out, then cut out the original plug starting point and let it heal back together?

As far as breaking the plug into pieces, I'm not quite sure how I could do that without chopping up the frag itself, or is that what you mean.

 

[BigJohnny]

I've always resorted to hacking off the plug "pin" and letting it encrust from there, but curious to see other solutions as well

Yea that's what I did, they are all flat now in that regard except for the reef gen one but plan on snipping them off later when I mount it.

 

[billdogg]

here's one of mine that started out on a plug (minus the stem) after 2 years - not a encrusting monti, but you get the idea - the plug disappeared awhile ago!



Another. If you look real close, you can see the original frag in the center



hth

 

[BigJohnny]

here's one of mine that started out on a plug (minus the stem) after 2 years - not a encrusting monti, but you get the idea - the plug disappeared awhile ago!



Another. If you look real close, you can see the original frag in the center



hth

Thanks man, that does help. You can't tell at all with the apple cap. You can barely tell with that encrusting monti (is that purple haze?) but not a big deal.

 

[benjc]

1. Put the frag up against a rock you want it to grow on.
2. Let coral grow onto rock.
3. Break away original frag and trade for new coral.
4. Repeat

 

[BigJohnny]

1. Put the frag up against a rock you want it to grow on.
2. Let coral grow onto rock.
3. Break away original frag and trade for new coral.
4. Repeat

Finish him. Fatality. Flawless victory.

Gracias senor

But, then I loose all that initial growth on the plug!!!

Argh

 

[droth335]

The methods above will work fine. Personally, I would only put an encrusting monti on an isolated rock where it cannot get at other rocks and can be removed later if desired. They are very invasive and will overgrow other corals. We are constantly having to hack off or kill back (with kalk paste) montis and regret not having done this when we introduced them.

 

[BigJohnny]

The methods above will work fine. Personally, I would only put an encrusting monti on an isolated rock where it cannot get at other rocks and can be removed later if desired. They are very invasive and will overgrow other corals. We are constantly having to hack off or kill back (with kalk paste) montis and regret not having done this when we introduced them.

Makes sense and thanks for the tip, however most people (including me) don't have many isolated rocks in their tanks. Usually consists of multiple rocks stacked to form a structure or structures.

I have heard of some montis stopping growing in that direction when they run into corals and resting together peacefully. Ive heard of others "battling". Sometimes they lose, sometimes they win, it depends on the coral they meet. I plan to put my montis in the center of seperate rocks (although all are connected) so that I can mitigate that as much as possible for a while. Then I guess I plan to frag anything that gets close.

I know it's not going to be that easy always, but encrusting montis are one of if not my favorite corals and I can't imagine my tank without them!

At what ratio/how do you go about mixing and applying the kalk paste? What happens after you apply it? Does the coral just stop growing there or does it die and look terrible in that spot? Does it effect the whole specimen or just that portion?

Thanks

 

[SputnikNYC]

here's one of mine that started out on a plug (minus the stem) after 2 years - not a encrusting monti, but you get the idea - the plug disappeared awhile ago!



Another. If you look real close, you can see the original frag in the center



hth

Beautiful

 

[droth335]

Makes sense and thanks for the tip, however most people (including me) don't have many isolated rocks in their tanks. Usually consists of multiple rocks stacked to form a structure or structures.

I have heard of some montis stopping growing in that direction when they run into corals and resting together peacefully. Ive heard of others "battling". Sometimes they lose, sometimes they win, it depends on the coral they meet. I plan to put my montis in the center of seperate rocks (although all are connected) so that I can mitigate that as much as possible for a while. Then I guess I plan to frag anything that gets close.

I know it's not going to be that easy always, but encrusting montis are one of if not my favorite corals and I can't imagine my tank without them!

At what ratio/how do you go about mixing and applying the kalk paste? What happens after you apply it? Does the coral just stop growing there or does it die and look terrible in that spot? Does it effect the whole specimen or just that portion?

Thanks

Encrusting montis are very resourceful and will attempt to grow over corals they can't "win" in a stinging contest. I have lost several corals (or portions) to them.

As far as the kalk paste goes I try to mix it as thick as possible but still be to be able to suck it into the syringe (I have an extra one from aptasia x that works great). I want it as thick as possible so it doesn't get blown around in the flow and impact other non-target corals - basically want it to stay put. It kills only the portion of the coral in direct contact (also works great to kill aptasia) so it is only a temporary solution that has to be repeated every few months. I do it with all pumps turned off so there isn't any current.

If the encrusting coral starts to plate I do frag it rather than kill it but trying to frag an encrusting coral in an established tank is almost impossible for me without the risk of starting a rock slide.