This Montipora species has a relatively smooth surface that is not
quite as smooth as Montipora spumosa. Coloration is Blue/Purple
with an edge area that is colored Turquoise/Blue. In the past few years
there have been blue or purple massive Montipora species occasionally
exported from Tonga. The blue or purple pigments in those corals
have proven to be difficult to maintain in captive systems. Those
Tonga corals were not Montipora mollis species. The pigments in
this Montipora mollis have proven to be easy to maintain in captivity.
Steve Tyree with Reeffarmers.com found this unusual Montipora in a
large shipment of corals from Fiji. Its growth shape is a medium thick
plate or laminar form. The coral is very similar to the coral shown in
image 7 pg 117 Volume 1 of Corals of the World by Veron. The coral in
that image has a strange spotted appearence on its surface. The
Limited Edition Montipora mollis we are selling fragments of also
has this unique spotted appearence on its surface. These spots are
pink colored and are due to the centers of the polyps being colored
pink/red. A closeup of the polyps demonstrating this unique coloration
is shown below. Steve Tyree is maintaining this coral for
reeffarmers.com in one of his 125 gallon naturally filtered Tri-Zonal
EG Reef Aquariums. In Steve's captive reef the coral is positoned at
about 22 inches from a 400 watt 20,000 K Radium Metal Halide. This
coral can maintain its blue/purple pigmentation in moderate to strong
lighting. Water current is moderate. Starting in October 2003
ReefFarmers.com is distributing 1 farmed fragment of this coral per
month. Price is currently $65 per medium sized fragment. The monthly
limited edition reservation schedules can be found below.
Montipora mollis colony edge. Note medium thick laminar growth form.
Montipora mollis polyp closeup in turquoise edge of colony. Note the pink colored centers of polyps. Photo by Tracy Gray.
CORAL RETIRED June 2004. Reeffarmers.com decided to retire
the Limited Edition coral Montipora mollis during the summer of 2004.
This was done for primarily one reason. The coral slowly lost its base
blue coloration in captivity. We have been unable to redevelop the blue.
We distrubuted at least 5 fragments of this coral and the previous
Limited Edition shipping history is listed below. If anyone who recieved
a Limted Edition fragment of this coral wants to futhur distribute this
interesting coral, please send us your email or web site link.
Obviously you would need to figure out how to redevelop the base blue.
We will add your email or web link to the Limited Edition History listed
below. Reeffarmers.com will not be growing any fragments of this coral.
Reeffarmers.com does not have any plans to reinstate the Limited
Edition distribution of this coral in the future.
Montipora mollis Year 2004 Monthly Limited Edition Schedule
January
Shipped to D. M.
February
Cancelled
March
Cancelled
April
Cancelled
May
Cancelled
June
Cancelled
July
Cancelled
August
Cancelled
September
Cancelled
October
Cancelled
November
Cancelled
December
Cancelled
Montipora mollis Year 2003 Monthly Limited Edition Schedule
TM
