Too Much polyp extension on Monti?

Darth Chingas · 11/25/2013, 06:48 AM

I have a piece of Sunset Montipora that only recently started growing fast. My issue with it is the polyps are so large that it completely covers the base so all you see is this mass of green polyps and hardly any orange base. There are a couple of bumps where the base sticks out that are neon orange and have really nice contrast. My question is how do I get the base to show more? The rock to which it is encrusting is about half way up the tank (standard 75 gal) and directly under an AI Sol about 12" above the waterline.

There is a Chili Pepper monti at a store in Phoenix that is virtually all bright green base and depressions with red polyps of a similar size in their show tank which is what I am really looking for.

Thanks in advance and will add pictures as soon as I can.

rovster · 11/25/2013, 10:47 AM

Wow, pat yourself on the back cuz you doing something right. I would leave it be because its happy. Other option is moving it to a less happy area, maybe less or more flow, and see what happens. or maybe frag a piece and move that.

Arkayology · 11/25/2013, 12:40 PM

I find that my sunset monti likes high light and medium flow. The polyps will extend very far on mine when it is doing well. Not much you can do about it if you are doing something right as rovster said lol.

Jcreefer1 · 11/25/2013, 09:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rovster

Wow, pat yourself on the back cuz you doing something right. I would leave it be because its happy. Other option is moving it to a less happy area, maybe less or more flow, and see what happens. or maybe frag a piece and move that.

Ditto that.....

gmate · 11/25/2013, 09:43 PM

I don't think this qualifies as a problem lol

toothman · 11/26/2013, 04:47 AM

that is kinda what they do, as well as get all over the rock and eventually on acros. Acro will generally kill the invading creaper. Not my favorite corals. Best thing to do is just keep it growing on a seperate rock on the floor of the tank.

MammothReefer · 11/26/2013, 02:09 PM

You can try a little more flow. Sunset monti may not actually be a monti or is a different variety then then most the other encrusting montis which is why the polyps are different. Just like the sand dollar monti. Even though it's invasive it's one of my favorite corals. I think it's worth it even if you have to "groom" it now and then to keep it away from acros speaking of which I need to get another frag of it.

Useful_Idiot · 11/27/2013, 11:22 AM

I too would like to know, I have plenty of green in my tank why does sunset in other people's tanks grow with the polyps farther apart or the base rise above the polyp sorta protecting it? Flow?

11/25/2013, 06:48 AM	#1
Darth Chingas Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Phoenix,AZ Posts: 97	Too Much polyp extension on Monti? I have a piece of Sunset Montipora that only recently started growing fast. My issue with it is the polyps are so large that it completely covers the base so all you see is this mass of green polyps and hardly any orange base. There are a couple of bumps where the base sticks out that are neon orange and have really nice contrast. My question is how do I get the base to show more? The rock to which it is encrusting is about half way up the tank (standard 75 gal) and directly under an AI Sol about 12" above the waterline. There is a Chili Pepper monti at a store in Phoenix that is virtually all bright green base and depressions with red polyps of a similar size in their show tank which is what I am really looking for. Thanks in advance and will add pictures as soon as I can.

11/25/2013, 12:40 PM	#3
Arkayology Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: SoCal Posts: 1,597	I find that my sunset monti likes high light and medium flow. The polyps will extend very far on mine when it is doing well. Not much you can do about it if you are doing something right as rovster said lol. __________________ -Matt in between tanks

11/25/2013, 09:43 PM	#5
gmate MASC Member Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Littleton, CO Posts: 2,267	I don't think this qualifies as a problem lol __________________ https://www.marinecolorado.org/ 180, 90 and 50 gallon reef ready systems. Fragging & trading since 2010. Current Tank Info: 180g, 90g & 50g frag tank

11/26/2013, 04:47 AM	#6
toothman Premium Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Phila area (Newtown) Posts: 1,572	that is kinda what they do, as well as get all over the rock and eventually on acros. Acro will generally kill the invading creaper. Not my favorite corals. Best thing to do is just keep it growing on a seperate rock on the floor of the tank. __________________ Always looking to trade a frag. Current Tank Info: 400 gal reef, 2 darts, 1 hammerhead, 3 jebao wp 60, 125gal sump, Revolution kz skimmer, 6 400 watt radium, actinic flourescent, 50 X turnover, Zeovit

11/26/2013, 02:09 PM	#7
MammothReefer Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Mammoth Lakes, CA Posts: 3,442	You can try a little more flow. Sunset monti may not actually be a monti or is a different variety then then most the other encrusting montis which is why the polyps are different. Just like the sand dollar monti. Even though it's invasive it's one of my favorite corals. I think it's worth it even if you have to "groom" it now and then to keep it away from acros speaking of which I need to get another frag of it. __________________ Reefin @ 8298' Current Tank Info: 105 Peninsula

11/25/2013, 10:47 AM	#2
rovster Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Miramar, FL Posts: 7,518	Wow, pat yourself on the back cuz you doing something right. I would leave it be because its happy. Other option is moving it to a less happy area, maybe less or more flow, and see what happens. or maybe frag a piece and move that.

11/27/2013, 11:22 AM	#8
Useful_Idiot Artificially Intelligent Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Farmington, CT Posts: 1,188	I too would like to know, I have plenty of green in my tank why does sunset in other people's tanks grow with the polyps farther apart or the base rise above the polyp sorta protecting it? Flow? __________________ Patrick Current Tank Info: 150 DD