Montipora comes in a variety of colors and growth patterns such as plating, branching, and encrusting. They are fast growing and benefit from strong lighting.

Indo-Pacific - Islands of the Indopacific including Fiji, Tonga, Solomon Islands, and the Great Barrier Reef.

Intense lighting is recommended for best coloration and overall health. Use either Metal Halide lighting or a large bank of high output fluorescent or compact fluorescent bulbs. If not provided proper lighting, the colors of Montipora may fade, but worse the coral may not receive enough energy and perish.

Moderate water movement is recommended.

Montipora relies heavily on the products of their zooxanthellae but also may feed on phytoplankton and similarly sized microfauna in the water column.

Montipora is a diverse genus of small polyp stony corals. They come in a variety of shapes and colors depending on where they were collected. Provided with proper conditions, they grow quickly and display wonderful coloration. They are much hardier than Acropora in that they do not bleach as readily, and are more resistant to coral diseases. Be careful what you place Montipora near. They do not have powerful nematocysts and will lose just about every territorial battle.

This genus for the most part has been propagated extensively in captivity and is an excellent candidate for aquaculture. It is reasonable to believe that a sustainable harvest can be achieved in time.