Montipora digitata (finger coral)
Montipora digitata
Also known as Digitata, Finger Montipora, Velvet Finger Coral
SaltwaterCoral
Care at a glance
- Temperature
- 75–81°F
- 24–27°C
- pH
- 8.1–8.4
- Adult size
- 7.9 in
- 20 cm
- Minimum tank
- 20 gal
- 75 L
- Temperament
- Peaceful
- Social behavior
- Solitary
- Swim level
- Bottom
- Difficulty
- Difficult
- Breeding
- Easy
- Rarity
- Very common
- Reef safe
- Reef safe
- Family
- Acroporidae
- Origin
- Indo-Pacific reefs, widely maricultured; hardy aquacultured strains are common in the trade
Overview
Montipora digitata (finger coral) is a branching SPS coral that grows upright, thumb-thick fingers rather than plates. It is a peaceful, reef safe coral for experienced keepers with a stable tank.
Did you know
The branches of a Montipora digitata (finger coral) thicken in response to current, and stronger flow gives thicker, curvier growth. That lets keepers partly steer the shape of a colony by where they aim the flow.
Caring for the Montipora digitata (finger coral)
Give a Montipora digitata (finger coral) bright light, roughly 200 to 300 PAR, and medium to strong flow. Place it in the mid to upper rockwork, where it gets both strong light and good water movement. A healthy colony shows pale growth tips that are actively extending.
It needs a tank of at least 20 gal (75 L) with water at 75 to 81°F (24 to 27°C). Hold the pH at 8.1 to 8.4, and keep alkalinity and calcium stable. It copes with slightly higher nutrients and imperfect parameters better than Acropora, so it is often recommended as a first SPS coral.
It has no sweeper tentacles and will not sting its neighbors. More aggressive corals can sting it or shade it, so space it well and leave it room to branch out. It frags very easily, because snapped or cut branches quickly reattach and regrow.
Good to know
Montipora digitata belongs to the family Acroporidae. It is zooxanthellate and has very small polyps. It is one of the faster growing Montipora, adding roughly 8 to 10 cm of branch length a year in a stable tank. A single small frag can fill in a bushy thicket within a year or two.
In the wild
Montipora digitata comes from reefs across the Indo-Pacific. It is widely maricultured, and hardy aquacultured strains are common in the trade.
Common questions
What size tank does a Montipora digitata (finger coral) need?
A Montipora digitata (finger coral) needs at least 20 gal (75 L).
What temperature and pH does a Montipora digitata (finger coral) need?
A Montipora digitata (finger coral) is comfortable at 75–81°F (24–27°C) with a pH of 8.1–8.4.
How big does a Montipora digitata (finger coral) get?
An adult Montipora digitata (finger coral) reaches about 7.9 in (20 cm).
Related species
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