Montipora Confusa

Montipora confusa is a wonderfully eccentric coral. It’s like a Montipora that couldn’t decide whether it wanted to grow like a plating cap or a branching digitata, so it does both at the same time. That indecision gives it a beautiful, sculptural shape in a reef tank.

Temperament and growth

Confusa grows as a thickened plate with stubby vertical projections. It’s not fragile like some caps and not as brittle as digitatas. Because it builds dense skeleton, it handles flow and tank bumps nicely.

Lighting

Moderate to high light works best. Around 150 to 250 PAR keeps the green base vivid and the purple or blue growth ridges sharp. Under very strong light you get tighter growth and stronger color separation.

Flow

Medium to high, ideally turbulent. Enough to keep the surface clean and avoid sediment collecting in the folds. The coral prefers motion that shakes the polyps rather than pushing them in a single direction.

Placement

Mid-level placement is ideal. Give it space above and below because Confusa likes to build thickness and height as it grows. It can shade whatever sits underneath due to its layered plate shape.

Water parameters

Montipora tend to be forgiving within reason. Confusa follows that trend.

Calcium around 420.
Alkalinity around 8 to 8.8.
Magnesium around 1350.
Nitrate around 5 to 15.
Phosphate around 0.03 to 0.1.

It flourishes in stable, nutrient-positive systems. Ultra-low nutrients wash out the color and slow growth.

Feeding

It eats mainly through light and dissolved nutrients. Occasional amino acids help with richness, but not required. A tank with consistent fish load usually gives Confusa all the nitrogen it desires.

Sensitivities and pests

Montis are the favorite snack of Montipora-eating nudibranchs. Any new Monti frag should be dipped, inspected with a flashlight, and checked at night for tiny, white, rice-grain nudis. Confusa shows stress through pale patches and polyp retraction when alkalinity swings hard.

System compatibility

It coexists peacefully with most LPS and SPS. Its only threat is shading neighbors with its layered plates. It’s a great coral for adding shape without the fragility of Acropora.