Montipora Danae are also known as Plating Coral, Ridge Coral or Star Coral. They are a somewhat less well known member of the Montipora genus, but are increasing in popularity. They grow as plates or, less commonly, columns and are found in shades of green, blue, tan and orange. The polyps are generally a contrasting colour and are brighter.
They are found throughout the Indo-Pacific region and grow on both the upper and lower reef slope. The vast majority of specimens in the wild are brown, so corals that are available for sale in other colours are most likely aquacultured. In a home aquarium they should be placed on an exposed rock ledge in an area of fairly high light and flow. Since a Montipora Danae colony can grow quite large, it is important to make sure they have lots of space to grow. It is also important to remember that they are largely defenseless against any aggressive corals, so it is important that it is placed an ample distance from any aggressive neighbors.
LIke other SPS corals, Montipora Danae prefer higher levels of both light and flow. Colouration can often be used to determine if a coral is receiving enough light. A coral that is exposed to levels of light that are too high may begin to turn white, whereas a coral that is not receiving enough light may begin to turn brown. Since this is a plating coral, flow should be sufficient to prevent the buildup of detritus.
Montipora Danae are photosynthetic and are capable of meeting their energy needs through the tank’s lighting. They can, however, be spot feed with an SPS specific food such as Vitalis SPS Food. They tend to grow quite quickly without supplemental feeding and most hobbyists do not find it necessary to feed them.
