Encrusting SPS corals: What is your favorite?

What is your favorite type of encrusting SPS coral?

  • Leptastrea

    Votes: 28 10.0%
  • Leptoseris

    Votes: 47 16.8%
  • Montipora

    Votes: 151 53.9%
  • Pavona

    Votes: 21 7.5%
  • Psammocora

    Votes: 16 5.7%
  • Other

    Votes: 17 6.1%

  • Total voters
    280

Peace River

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Encrusting SPS corals: What is your favorite?

In the SPS world of sticks and stones, if Acros are sticks then the encrusting corals tend to look more like stones – very beautiful stones! Of course, there are also those corals like spongodes that seem to be a little of each! You also have some Montiporas that are plating and others that are encrusting. Do you have a favorite encrusting SPS coral? Do you have experiences to share about encrusting SPS corals? Please share any tips or questions in the discussion!

ReefTide_Psamy.jpg

Photo by @REEFTIDE
 

vetteguy53081

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Montis are my favorite when it comes to encrustment. I do have several corals encrusting now and appreciate the effect with plugs and tiles hidden with natural color.
 

KrisReef

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Porieties, even if I can’t spell it right now. For the record, most corals are “encrusting” when they settle from planktonic life. :)
 

i cant think

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Monti’s and Stylocoeniella. They are all young, but growing fast
3C4E1BA7-BEFE-4F4D-92EB-EF2A278426A1.jpeg
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That rainbow monti is a beauty, i bet once it grows out it’ll be even nicer, I assume as the polyps age, they change into another colour?
 

AKL1950

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That rainbow monti is a beauty, i bet once it grows out it’ll be even nicer, I assume as the polyps age, they change into another colour?
Thanks! I got that one from TSA at the end of their Christmas sale. Went to their store to pick up my corals saw it and just had to get it. The ledge I put it on is about 10” long. Should be awesome when it grows out and covers the entire ledge. really happy with it.
 

BigSkyRich

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Encrusting SPS corals: What is your favorite?

In the SPS world of sticks and stones, if Acros are sticks then the encrusting corals tend to look more like stones – very beautiful stones! Of course, there are also those corals like spongodes that seem to be a little of each! You also have some Montiporas that are plating and others that are encrusting. Do you have a favorite encrusting SPS coral? Do you have experiences to share about encrusting SPS corals? Please share any tips or questions in the discussion!

ReefTide_Psamy.jpg

Photo by @REEFTIDE
Well, gotta say that it became a love/hate relationship with my mystic sunset monti - its quite beautiful, however, it has become a very fast grower and I've had to do a number of interventions 1) broke pieces off and fragged - LFS likes that, 2) Used Kalk to stop it from encroaching on others, 3) experimented with other "encrusters" (purple bonsai acro) which actually is the more aggressive coral and is pushing the monti back. The green pavona isn't really encrusting but is happy and I'm happy with it
 

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Eienna

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My leptastrea survived my beginner fumbles for the longest, so in that respect I really like them, but they're not my favorite lookswise (or at least, the green one I had wasn't.) I think to look at, that would be the leptoseris. Not a fan of encrusters on the whole, though....I feel like they use up a bit too much real estate for what they give you.
 

ReefJunky

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I know this is not typically thought about and found in thd hobby, but my favorite is Millepora alcicornis. Yes, fire coral. It grows over most any rock shape you put it on and adds some shape of its own too.
 

encrustingacro

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Fun fact:
Many of the "encrusting" corals in the hobby are not actually encrusting, but are usually some other growth form, such as massive or sub-massive, lobular, plating, or columnar. Examples of these are Psammocora, "Favia" (Dipsastraea, Favites, etc), Porites, Lithophyllon, Cyphastrea, Platygyra (Usually Paragoniastrea), etc.
 

Aquatic acrobat in your aquarium: Have you ever kept an eel?

  • I currently keep an eel in my tank.

    Votes: 26 13.9%
  • I have kept an eel in my tank in the past.

    Votes: 32 17.1%
  • I have not kept an eel in my tank, but I hope to in the future.

    Votes: 32 17.1%
  • I have no plans to keep an eel.

    Votes: 94 50.3%
  • Other.

    Votes: 3 1.6%
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