Slow Growing Montipora Ideas

[NY_Caveman]

I have six total in my tank from the four that I hope too turn into one

Digi the slowest thing of life

the tyree rainbow and season greetings is slowgoing so to speak.

reef tech the fastest. Mystic second fastest

My X factor is slow growing purple outwards ledges but fast encrusting if that makes sense

All bought classic Montis from Harry’s frags.

Reef tech star burst
Tyree rainbow
Mystic sunset
Seasons greetings
X factor
Green digi

I love Montis!

Nice! Thanks for the details.

 

[Aquatic Bobs]

I have a worldwidecorals Sunfire grafted montipora cap that I've had for almost 7 months now and it has grown absolutely zero! I'm hoping it hits that sweet spot soon and takes off because my fire digitata, wet thumbs Bubblegum digitata, and forest fire digitata are growing like weeds comparatively!

 

[SKYHIGGh]

I have a worldwidecorals Sunfire grafted montipora cap that I've had for almost 7 months now and it has grown absolutely zero! I'm hoping it hits that sweet spot soon and takes off because my fire digitata, wet thumbs Bubblegum digitata, and forest fire digitata are growing like weeds comparatively!

Try placing near a rock it can plate off

 

[skysoblue987]

My Kung Pao and Brain freeze grows super slow. Maybe half inch in 8 months.

 

[Hemmdog]

Slightly off topic, but I saw a nice piece today at Manhattan Aquariums. I thought it was some kind of Montipora, but was actually a Turbinaria. Looked like this:

The guy said it grew really slowly also. So not a slow growing Montipora, but still an interesting alternative SPS.

By the way, Manhattan Aquariums has a ton of nice corals and the prices are reasonable (especially for this area). Everything looked clean and healthy. I learned also, same owner as UniqueCorals. I will be returning for sure once my aquarium is up and running.

Did you ever get this scroll? @NY_Caveman

 

[Backreefing]

Slightly off topic, but I saw a nice piece today at Manhattan Aquariums. I thought it was some kind of Montipora, but was actually a Turbinaria. Looked like this:

The guy said it grew really slowly also. So not a slow growing Montipora, but still an interesting alternative SPS.

By the way, Manhattan Aquariums has a ton of nice corals and the prices are reasonable (especially for this area). Everything looked clean and healthy. I learned also, same owner as UniqueCorals. I will be returning for sure once my aquarium is up and running.

These are hard to get I had one that got 10”/14” ina 37 gal . But it died around 2006-2008 they are very slow growing and a true yellow. Some list it as SPS and some list it as LPS . After haveing one I’m going to say SPS the polyps didn’t get more then 1/8” .

 

[NY_Caveman]

Did you ever get this scroll? @NY_Caveman

These are hard to get I had one that got 10”/14” ina 37 gal . But it died around 2006-2008 they are very slow growing and a true yellow. Some list it as SPS and some list it as LPS . After haveing one I’m going to say SPS the polyps didn’t get more then 1/8” .

I never did get one. Manhattan Aquariums had some nice ones, but my tank was not even up yet when I saw them.

 

[Hemmdog]

I never did get one. Manhattan Aquariums has some nice ones, but my tank was not even up yet when I saw them.

Oh I have one, you can have it lol. It’s so slowwww lol.

 

[Backreefing]

Yes it didn’t recover from the time I was not interested in the aquarium. It is a slow and steady grower. Also in low lighting it will go brown/yellow and form a cup shape but the polyps and edges stay yellow. In high light it gets more yellow and gets a different shape .
Aquarium depo had then for a short time but gone .
Back to the thread if you want a slow growing plate coral it’s the one you want .

 

[Backreefing]

Update Vivid Aquariums has them right now. $50
I haven’t purchased anything from them , so I can’t tell any good or bad about them. They have a photo to .

 

[NY_Caveman]

Update Vivid Aquariums has them right now. $50
I haven’t purchased anything from them , so I can’t tell any good or bad about them. They have a photo to .

I had a very good experience with Vivid recently. Coral was shipped well and looked exactly like its picture.

 

[leeloo82]

Lay it on me fellow reefers, which Montipora species in your experience grow slowly (assuming one starts with a healthy, well lit reef with good flow)? Scientific name would be great. Trade name or even no name with a picture is absolutely acceptable.

Spoiler: Further thoughts if interested

My searches on this topic seemed to mostly come up with reefers complaining about slow growth, or queries for fast growers. Many folks with new aquariums want growth fast. I get that. Perhaps they started with dry rock, or they are new to the hobby. Maybe they are just eager to get things going. Personally, I could enjoy just observing the life in the live rock and watching the clean up crew for a while.

I was re-reading a good thread about plating Montipora last night and it got me thinking about my 30 gallon tank (21 gallon display volume). In a nano I would prefer slow, healthy growth to constant pruning. I love the growth pattern of the Spongodes, for example, but it seems like it could outgrow an aquarium my size pretty quickly. M. Confusa and the Leng Sy Cap, on the other hand, seem to have a similar growth pattern with plating and nodules, but research shows they often grow slower. Montipora aequituberculata, similar, but with shorter nodules, also seems slower growing.

After, I started thinking in general about which are the slowest growing Montipora. I had found some slow growing Acropora threads (Oregon Tort, Purple Monster, etc.), but none about Montipora. So let us make a list. Any type be it plating, branching, dimpling, encrusting or anything in between, which Montipora corals grow slowly?

Here in 2025 and I'm also a weirdo apparently for wanting slow growth as a newbie! So I personally thank you for this because this is exactly what I'm looking for. Good things come to those who wait. I am not interested in weed growth that others keep recommending to newbies like xenia and GSP. Sounds like a nightmare for maintenance!

 

[leeloo82]

Slowest growers for me are the Pink Smoothie Digitata , RR Crazy T and JF Beach Bum.

That being said, it seems that once they get a “critical mass” built up even the slow growers take off, especially iff all outward edges are growing.

My ASD Rainbow Phoenix took forever to get to over an inch diameter, now it is moving along pretty well.

Wow, that's cool info and totally makes sense that they'd establish a "critical mass" or foundation first before take off. Sounds like the trees I planted in my yard - first 2 years no growth cuz they need to establish roots. Then starting year 3 - boom! Gaining real height yearly thereafter.