Montipora Confusa
The Montipora confusa, otherwise known as Hodags montipora coral, is an exotic coral with bright green branches that grow in a flame-shaped fashion. The Montipora confusa looks like a bright green cactus with large polyps that are not close together like other montiporas like the montipora digitata and capricornis coral varieties. Their care level is moderate, but they do well with certain lighting conditions and strong and fast water movement.
Montipora Confusa Lighting
The Montipora confusa will survive and grow under your typical reef aquarium lighting conditions including power compacts, VHOs, T-5s and metal halide lights. They need moderate to high lighting, so be sure their placement in the tank is position to maximize their exposure to the light. Some owners of the Montipora confusa have discovered that to bring out the color in this exotic coral, metal halides do the best job. Due to the heat of metal halide lights, the Montipora confusa should be kept at a mid-low position. With other sources, the coral can be kept in a mid-high position. When using metal halide lights, heat can be a problem. Because the lights give off so much heat, the metal halides are usually kept higher off the tank. Most montiporas will not survive in water warmer than 80 degrees, and the optimal temperature is between 72 and 78 degrees Fahrenheit.
Montipora Confusa Water Flow
The Montipora confusa is accustomed to high flow, strong water movement. Like other montiporas, the Montipora confusa is usually found in shallow turbid waters with a lot of movement. In shallow waters, the coral is accustomed to water breaking at the surface creating a steady water movement to move oxygen in and out of its polyps.
Montipora Confusa Growth
The growth of this type of coral is highly dependent on creating a proper water movement in the tank to replicate its natural environment. The polyps are very large on this coral and require more water, light and oxygen in the photosynthesis process which gives them their food to survive.
Montipora Confusa Additives
In addition to the lighting and water flow conditions, it is suggested that two part calcium and buffer supplements be added to the tank water. For best results in Montipora confusa, the calcium levels should be at 400-450 ppm and the dkH level should remain between 8-12. This type of montipora also thrives from being feed zooplankton.
Montipora Confusa In The Trade
On the market currently, Hodags montipora coral is sold in fragments removed from a parent colony of Bali Maricultured Coral. The parent colony was grown in shallow, lagoon-like waters similar to how they would grow in nature. The frags are removed from the colony for sale, but before they are shipped to consumers they go through an extensive health inspection following a period of quarantine. The frags are attached to a small aragonite plug that can be placed in a home reef tank between rocks or affixed to rocks.
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