When I look for SPS corals to add to my reef tank I typically consider a few things. One, how hardy is it and can it easily adapt to different conditions in a tank such as lighting, nutrient levels, alkalinity, etc? Is it a fast grower? Is it physically appealing to me?
The hardiness of a coral is important, especially when you have a younger tank. Montiporas are great additions to new tanks since they can withstand less than ideal water parameters. Some varieties branch, others cup while a third type encrusts. All are forgiving. I also like Montis in an established tank because some are really cool looking, checking a second box for me. Many have striking colors such as the branching ATL Forest Fire Digitata, which sports brilliant orange polyps and green tips.
Another beautiful branching Montipora is the Tubbs Stellata Monti. This coral has bright green polyps and purple branches, a rare contrast in colors. As is the case with other Montis, this piece will grow rather fast when happy so it should be given a wide berth versus other corals.
Tubbs Stellata Monti
The Tubbs Stellata Monti does not require a lot of light so it can be happy in the lower part of a tank. The coral will do well under T5’s, metal halides, or LED’s. I have two colonies under metal halides in my 187 gallon reef. The largest of the two is thriving on the lower left part of my reef. And the other piece, believe it or not, is growing behind my reef! Yes, I stuck a frag that broke off the main colony to a rock in the back since I had no other place to put it at the time. This piece is also doing really well and is actually platting out in search of light, a unique shape for this coral.
In terms of flow the Tubbs Stellata Monti does well in areas with a medium amount of current. But it can tolerate low flow areas….hey, I have one growing in the back of my tank 🙂 For tank parameters I would recommend alkalinity in the 8-9 dkh range, calcium between 380-450 ppm and magnesium in the 1350-1450 ppm range.
What’s In a Name?
The Tubbs Stellata Monti was named after hobbyist John Susbilla (aka Tubs). The piece was first known as the Tubs Lavender and Green Montipora Stellata. For some reason an extra “b” was added to the coral\’s name at some point in time. No matter which way it is spelled, it is a must have monti that is great for either beginners or experts.
Additional Resources
If you would like some help with a new tank build, including help designing a custom aquarium, or help re-configuring your current setup then you can visit this page for more information. And if you are looking to add some equipment, I do sell GHL, Pax Bellum, Reef Octopus Calcium and Kalk Reactors and Royal Exclusiv products, including Dreamboxes, which is the equipment I use and recommend. I also sell Reef Brite metal halide and LED fixtures as well as Maxspect & IceCap Gyres.
As for additional insights and information, please explore my many other reef tank and SPS related articles as well as my YouTube channel. For an even deeper dive into reef tank care you can check out my Reef Keeping Master Class. This online course is an immersive and one of a kind educational tool designed to help reef aquarium hobbyists build and maintain a beautiful SPS reef tank. The course is a series of video presentations with some supplemental video from my YouTube channel. There are also quizzes to help students retain and understand the information presented in the course.
Need some frags…..I can help with that as well 🙂 Please visit my SPS Frag store to see what is available.