Are encrusting corals a mistake?

[Nburg's Reef]

Maybe I've been lucky, but my acros seem to kill encroaching encrusting montis.

 

[TWYOUNG]

Just getting started and I'm all in for something that will grow and spread.

 

[anthonymckay]

I've been trying to stick to my plan of placing encrusting monti onto their own loose rock amongst my rock work that I can rotate/replace if it engulfs the rock and starts getting close to crossing onto other rocks. At that point I can frag off some pieces, replace the rock with another rock, and start over. We'll see how well this works out in theory.

 

[DB402020]

One guy I know keeps his encrusting montis at bay by just breaking off pieces as they encroach on acros or other high value things. Seems to work just fine. I say if you like the coral, and know how to contain it, keep it!

 

[Labridaedicted]

I have a few, but kind of force their growth I'm certain directions through pruning and such. I also won't place any more than 1/3 of the way up the tank so they will have a tough time getting to the expensive acros.

I personally love the look of some of them. My sunset Monti for one is a stunner. Beach Bum and Phoenix are nice as well. I did have a mystic sunset one time that became invasive and was an incredibly fast grower, so that particular morph gets isolated these days.

Another thing to consider is that often their light demands are lower than that of many Acropora species and in many sps systems may function well on rubble in the sand bed to make it easy to contain. (I do this with my chalice which can also be encrusting in many situations atleast for a while until they start to plate)

 

[mrpontiac80]

I love encrusting corals and have them everywhere but the tank is still young at just less than two years. It is a mixed reef so I’ll see how things progress, but one thing I’ve done is stuck several on the back glass. Even a green monti cap that is starting to “cap” and shelf out. I keep trying to place a red monti cap beside it to mix or graft but a snail keeps knocking it off. None of the others, just the red one like 10 times

 

[ABQ_CHRIS]

I have a few, but kind of force their growth I'm certain directions through pruning and such. I also won't place any more than 1/3 of the way up the tank so they will have a tough time getting to the expensive acros.

I personally love the look of some of them. My sunset Monti for one is a stunner. Beach Bum and Phoenix are nice as well. I did have a mystic sunset one time that became invasive and was an incredibly fast grower, so that particular morph gets isolated these days.

Another thing to consider is that often their light demands are lower than that of many Acropora species and in many sps systems may function well on rubble in the sand bed to make it easy to contain. (I do this with my chalice which can also be encrusting in many situations atleast for a while until they start to plate)

Very pretty

 

[OlafsReef]

If you are okay with the energy and time it takes to keep it isolate, no problem.
If you are just going to let it grow uncheck and non-isolated... terrible idea.

 

[ABQ_CHRIS]

If you are okay with the energy and time it takes to keep it isolate, no problem.
If you are just going to let it grow uncheck and non-isolated... terrible idea.

I have heard a few methods for checking growth, but like so many things in reefing, there is no consensus.

 

[Crotalus]

I have Jason Fox Bizaro. It's spreading fast and it's so eye popping beautiful I don't care how much it covers.

 

[Crotalus]

I have Jason Fox Bizaro. It's spreading fast and it's so eye popping beautiful I don't care how much it covers.

 

[Bruce Burnett]

Well everything depends. I have an acro that is encrusting a fairly large area. After having my previous tank I swore never another Monti cap or a chalice as they grew so fast they took over the tank. I had a red Monti cap that would grow so fast I would break inches off of it everywhere and 3 days later it would be even bigger. A chip given to me became a piece about 3 feet long and multiple levels two feet tall. I got tired of breaking chunks off regularly and throwing it in the trash plus it would kill off any sps in its way.

 

[Susan Edwards]

I have a bunch of encrusters. Love them. My pavona might eventually need to be dealt with as it has encrusted before I realized and could move the rock it is on. If it threatens my acros, I'll putty over where it is an issue. The rest shouldn't affect other corals, at least not for maybe years lol's

My encrusters:
Cyphastrea Jingle bell or meteor shower--encrusted it's rock and moving down
Leptastrea-John Deere-encrusted rock and moving down
Pavona-encrusting. Will have to watch
Montiporas:
Orange cap--on back of rock on right side. Can do what it wants
Rainbow--encrusting plug and onto rock. Moving down.
capricornis--tabling
Reverse Sunset starting to encrust
Setosa -growing but not encrusting
Mystic sunrise. hanging in there
blue digitata--is encrusting.
Ignore algae. It is gone

 

[ABQ_CHRIS]

I have a bunch of encrusters. Love them. My pavona might eventually need to be dealt with as it has encrusted before I realized and could move the rock it is on. If it threatens my acros, I'll putty over where it is an issue. The rest shouldn't affect other corals, at least not for maybe years lol's

My encrusters:
Cyphastrea Jingle bell or meteor shower--encrusted it's rock and moving down
Leptastrea-John Deere-encrusted rock and moving down
Pavona-encrusting. Will have to watch
Montiporas:
Orange cap--on back of rock on right side. Can do what it wants
Rainbow--encrusting plug and onto rock. Moving down.
capricornis--tabling
Reverse Sunset starting to encrust
Setosa -growing but not encrusting
Mystic sunrise. hanging in there
blue digitata--is encrusting.
Ignore algae. It is gone

They look both nice and innocent.

 

[Crotalus]

Well everything depends. I have an acro that is encrusting a fairly large area. After having my previous tank I swore never another Monti cap or a chalice as they grew so fast they took over the tank. I had a red Monti cap that would grow so fast I would break inches off of it everywhere and 3 days later it would be even bigger. A chip given to me became a piece about 3 feet long and multiple levels two feet tall. I got tired of breaking chunks off regularly and throwing it in the trash plus it would kill off any sps in its way.

I have a Hollywood Stunner. Not really encrusting but it grows really fast. It's a good thing to, because it breaks off really easy. Broken pieces just keep on growing where ever they land.

 

[Acroporaguy]

If you value and enjoy them, why not keep them! I will say that when real estate is limited in an Acropora tank, I would not add encrusting montis to the main rockwork. They grow aggressively and are difficult to remove. Kalk paste is useful to help control them.

 

[rtparty]

Absolutely a mistake. Once you have hit the point of having a multi year tank and you watch how impossible it is to contain them, they are not worth it. I can't think of a single encrusting coral that is so gorgeous I want to constantly fight it back from killing other corals

 

[Jim Gomoll]

One way to isolate encrusting corals is grow them out on a sculpture.
In just 3 months the large skull is coming along well as the Monti eyes covering quickly from chips.
Green corals are Neon Green Porites. Eyes are WWC Mystic Sunset Montipora

 

[vabben]

Acros encrusting on main rock work I’m good with. Encrusting montis no thanks.

 

[ID-Reefer]

I have encrusting rainbow monti that I mistakenly put on some rockwork. had to kill off with super glue. I now only have it on back glass where it is easier to control. Put some on a skull in my frag tank. Not a great pic but here it is. I’ve since sold it.