Description
Montipora are found all over the Indo-Pacific. However, these particular frags are aquacultured by ORA. Instead of being collected from the ocean, this coral is grown in aquariums and then fragged to be sold to hobbyists like you. The Peach Digitata is mostly orange with white growth tips. It forms large, thick branches that tend to grow upwards. Montipora are not the easiest nor the hardest corals to keep. They are great for those looking to dabble in the SPS world with a high chance of success. Montipora have more demanding requirements than other corals, but if you provide the right conditions, this coral will do great in your aquariums. The Peach Digitata requires medium to high lighting. Ideally, Montipora should be given 200-300 micromoles of PAR. Start them off under 125-150 micromoles of PAR and then slowly increase the light intensity or move the coral up the aquascape. This is important to do to avoid bleaching. Concerning flow, Montipora prefer high flow. You need to ensure that no detritus can settle on the coral, as this can quickly cause die off. However, you can have too much flow. With strong, direct flow, some tissue can recede. Ideally, this coral should receive random, irregular flow that is strong but not too strong. Montipora have tiny polyps. For this reason, they tend to have a weak or negative feeding response. If you want to feed your Montipora, you can dose phytoplankton or amino acids. However, simply ensuring there is a proper amount of nutrients in the system is enough to keep this coral healthy. Ideally, your nitrates should be at 1-5 ppm and your phosphates should be just barely detectable but not 0. This ensures there are enough nutrients in the water to keep your corals happy with little risk of algae growth. Montipora contain a photosynthetic algae called zooxanthellae which provides the coral with most of its nutritional needs. Like most other stony corals, Montipora require calcium, alkalinity, and magnesium to grow. You need to maintain steady levels of these three parameters in order to keep this coral healthy. Fluctuations may result in negative behavior from this coral, though not as bad as Acropora. Still, you should keep those levels as stable as possible. Regarding temperature, keep it at 72-78 degrees Fahrenheit and stable. The most stability, the better.
Care requirements
Purchase Size: 1 – 2″
Placement: You can place the Peach Digitata anywhere as long as its lighting and flow needs are met.
Lighting: Medium to high.
Flow: Moderate to strong
Parameters: 72-78° F, dKH 8-12, pH 8.1-8.4, salinity 32-35 ppt
Calcium: 350-450 ppm
Alkalinity: 8-12 dKH
Magnesium: 1,250-1,350 ppm
More Information
Aquacultured corals such as this Peach Digitata are grown in aquariums, making them well adapted to aquarium life. This particular coral is aquacultured by ORA. Aquacultured coral are well-adjusted to aquarium conditions such as lighting, flow, and parameters. They are also overall hardier than their ocean collected cousins. This means they have a much higher chance to survive and do well in your aquarium. They are also far less likely to carry pests or diseases, though you should still dip and/or quarantine them to be safe. On top of all that, aquacultured coral are more sustainable and environmentally friendly.
