Sand Dollar Monti

General information

In general, corals coming from the genus Montipora takes several coral lifeform like submassive, laminar, foliaceous, encrusting and branching. Their appearance and coloration is usually mottled in nature.  They have corallites that are considered one of the smallest as far as the family of corals is concerned. Their walls usually has an elaborate structure and has a porous texture.

As for the Sand Dollar Monti, they are predominantly coloredlight blue with red polyps. This are the water parameters in cultivating Sand Dollar Monti:

• Calcium: 400 – 450 ppm
• Alkalinity: 3.2 – 4.5 MEQ/L
• Phosphates: 0
• Magnesium: 1350 – 1500
• Strontium: 10
• Temperature: 72° – 78° F (22° – 26° C)
• Salinity / Specific Gravity: 1.024 – 1.025

The Sand Dollar Monti get its primary nutrition from a symbiotic algae called zooxanthelae that is living within their tissues. But despite this symbiotic relationship with an algae, we still recommend you do supplemental feeding by adding mysis and brine shrimp in the water.

A mature tank is highly recommended in propagating Sand Dollar Monti. They should be set on the middle or bottom part of the tank.

The Sand Dollar Monti requires moderate lighting and moderate waterflow.

The Sand Dollar Monti can be found in the waters of the Indo Pacific Ocean. They are considered as a vulnerable species listed under Appendix II of the CITES list.

The Sand Dollar Monti are purely marine, therefore, salinity must be maintained thoroughly at 1.023 to 1.025 specific gravity.