Coral of the Week: Montiopra

aquaman3680 · 02-27-2007, 08:54 PM

This weeks coral of the week is Montipora. There are actually three different kinds of montipora. There is the plating kind, the branching kind, and the encrusting kind (capricornis, digitata, and nodosus)

I will have them under the same heading but some will have different requirements than others so look for that too!

Lighting: The plating montis and digitatas require medium to high lighting where the encrusting monti requires medium lighting, meaning lower in the tank with halides.

Water flow: All require medium water flow, they just need water going over them not blasting them...

Colors: These corals come in many different color variations... I will show pictures of some of the different ones at the bottom. Most are orange, green, yellow, or purple.

Feeding: These corals are photosynthetic but do benefit from a feeding of phytoplankton.

Aggressiveness: They aren't very aggressive and will usually get stung by other corals if they touch.

Location: These corals are found in the Red Sea and Indo-Pacific lagoons, reefs, and upper reef slopes. They are usually in shallow water with a lot of light. Most of the ones available for trade are from Fiji, Solomon Islands, and Indonesia.

These corals do tend to grow pretty fast. They need stable parameters, they also need calcium, magnesium, iodine and other trace elements to be at the proper level to stay healthy. Provide a large area for these corals as they will get huge. I have seen some that are 3 feet in length and width.

These aren't my pictures.

Montipora Capricornis:

Montipora Digitata:

That right there is BoomerD's picture!

Montipora Nodosus

Well there ya go guys!

If you have any questions/comments/pics lets hear/see them!

Let the questions begin!

Matt

saltwaterfarm · 02-27-2007, 08:59 PM

I've got to get some of that! Great topic, Matt!

Cougra · 02-27-2007, 09:51 PM

Out of all the SPS corals, the M. capricornis is the ONLY one I have any desire to own. I'm not a huge SPS fan, but that one definately stands out for me!

Dentoid · 02-27-2007, 10:46 PM

Here are two that I have.

This one is tan, but has great pink color under the moonlight. It's about a month old to my tank.

This is a red one that has started to ridge up in the middle. The color didn't reproduce well, it's a much deeper rusty-red. It was broken on the left side and in 3 weeks has already started growing back. Don't know about the phallic projection in the middle? Should be interesting to see its growth pattern.

Dragon Wrasse · 02-27-2007, 10:56 PM

Very Nice Matt.....Mine look like the first picture...I have all of them growing from the sides of live rock (attached with super glue along time ago)....am I wrong in calling it Cup Coral???

JFK_Jr · 02-27-2007, 11:01 PM

Here's my Cap!

Aug 2006

Sept 2006

Nov 2006

Dec 2006

Jan 2006

Feb 2007

aquaman3680 · 02-27-2007, 11:21 PM

Awesome growth JFK... I have heard it called a cup coral before so i don't think you are wrong in calling it that.

Matt

Dentoid · 02-27-2007, 11:21 PM

JFKJR-That is stunning. I hope to be just like you some day, and my coral too!

lgerold · 02-27-2007, 11:26 PM

JFK, that is amazing. Can you give us some specific details about how you manage your tank?

rDr4g0n · 02-28-2007, 10:09 AM

if i ever get MH in my system, im DEFINATLY getting a montipora!!!

if they go growth crazy, how can you control them?

Dentoid · 02-28-2007, 10:28 AM

My LFS has a red Monti Cap that has grown so big that it is now creeping up the back glass! It's a sight to behold.

rDr4g0n · 02-28-2007, 01:48 PM

can you frag these corals? how do you do it? just break a chunk off?

Dentoid · 02-28-2007, 01:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rDr4g0n

can you frag these corals? how do you do it? just break a chunk off?

I'm no "fraggot", but yes just break off a piece and glue it to a rock. This how I see it fragged at my LFS.

cheeks69 · 02-28-2007, 02:38 PM

I just love Montiporas ! Although Monti's can adjust to intense light they will lose their deep coloration if placed in the upper regions of the tank under MH's. They are one of the few SPS that can thrive under PC's and no doubt a fast growing coral and are very easy to frag, just break off a piece.

Also they like the majority of photosynthetic corals are carnivorous and will eat zooplankton not phytoplankton.

BTW JFK spectacular growth on yours, it looks great !

Here's mine recovered completely from a bleaching episode:

blue_eyes53813 · 02-28-2007, 02:47 PM

These corals are one of my favorites...They always give the tank alot of color..

02-27-2007, 08:54 PM	#1 (permalink)
aquaman3680 Golden Moray Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Overland Park, KS Posts: 2,215 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Coral of the Week: Montiopra This weeks coral of the week is Montipora. There are actually three different kinds of montipora. There is the plating kind, the branching kind, and the encrusting kind (capricornis, digitata, and nodosus) I will have them under the same heading but some will have different requirements than others so look for that too! Lighting: The plating montis and digitatas require medium to high lighting where the encrusting monti requires medium lighting, meaning lower in the tank with halides. Water flow: All require medium water flow, they just need water going over them not blasting them... Colors: These corals come in many different color variations... I will show pictures of some of the different ones at the bottom. Most are orange, green, yellow, or purple. Feeding: These corals are photosynthetic but do benefit from a feeding of phytoplankton. Aggressiveness: They aren't very aggressive and will usually get stung by other corals if they touch. Location: These corals are found in the Red Sea and Indo-Pacific lagoons, reefs, and upper reef slopes. They are usually in shallow water with a lot of light. Most of the ones available for trade are from Fiji, Solomon Islands, and Indonesia. These corals do tend to grow pretty fast. They need stable parameters, they also need calcium, magnesium, iodine and other trace elements to be at the proper level to stay healthy. Provide a large area for these corals as they will get huge. I have seen some that are 3 feet in length and width. These aren't my pictures. Montipora Capricornis: Montipora Digitata: That right there is BoomerD's picture! Montipora Nodosus Well there ya go guys! If you have any questions/comments/pics lets hear/see them! Let the questions begin! Matt __________________ Check it out! The 90 gallon Road Trip The Bio-Cube Adventure

02-27-2007, 08:59 PM	#2 (permalink)
saltwaterfarm Manta Ray Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Maryland Posts: 3,222 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: Coral of the Week: Montiopra I've got to get some of that! Great topic, Matt! __________________ Lisa 90 Gal AGA, DIY Sump/Fuge, Current Outer Orbit 250w MH's with T5's. AquaC Remora Pro Skimmer, RK2.[/font] Purple LTA, pair of Percula Clowns, Clams, Softies, Shrooms, Ricordea, Echinophyllia, Torch, Frogspawn, Blastos, Sponges, Acro, Wellso, the NEW Zoa Mountain, and some more stuff... 3 Gal Sexy Shrimp Pico. 29 Gal Oceanic BioCube, Current Sunpod 150w MH.

02-27-2007, 09:51 PM	#3 (permalink)
Cougra Dragon Moderator Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Toronto, ON Posts: 2,216 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: Coral of the Week: Montiopra Out of all the SPS corals, the M. capricornis is the ONLY one I have any desire to own. I'm not a huge SPS fan, but that one definately stands out for me! __________________ Michelle Just because something CAN be done, it doesn't mean that it SHOULD be done!

02-27-2007, 10:56 PM	#5 (permalink)
Dragon Wrasse Harlequin Tuskfish Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Southern California Posts: 991 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: Coral of the Week: Montiopra Very Nice Matt.....Mine look like the first picture...I have all of them growing from the sides of live rock (attached with super glue along time ago)....am I wrong in calling it Cup Coral??? __________________ *Member "Crabs Are Evil" Society* "A wise man learns more from a foolish question, then a fool learns from a wise answer" - Bruce Lee _____________________________ 75 gal SeaClear II Reef Tank (softy tank) - Coralife 125 Super Skimmer - Little Giant 2-MDQX-SC - Angstrom 2537 UV 15W - HOB Refugium - Eheim Pro 2228 - Red Sea Wave Maker w/Maxi-Jet 600 (X4) - 100 lbs Live Sand (DSB) - 100 lbs Live Rock - 260W PC lighting - 470nm lunar lights (X15) - AquaController II Custom 75 gal Starphire glass tank (SPS/LPS tank) - Custom 24 gal Refugium - Tuzne Wave box - JBJ Chiller - 390W PC lighting - 175W MH (X2) - Knop Cal. Reactor - AquaController 3 Pro - Aqua C Skimmer - Phosban Reactor - 18W Turbo-twist UV sterilizer - Sump - Sony Computer 5 gal Nano Hospital Tank - Eheim 2213 - Red Sea Prizm Skimmer - Live sand - Live Rock - Built in Refugium - 36W PC lighting

02-27-2007, 11:01 PM	#6 (permalink)
JFK_Jr Golden Moray Join Date: May 2006 Location: Hallandale Beach FL Posts: 2,108 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	The Cap Master Here's my Cap! Aug 2006 Sept 2006 Nov 2006 Dec 2006 Jan 2006 Feb 2007 __________________ *JFK_Jr's 150 Gallon Starphire*

02-27-2007, 11:21 PM	#7 (permalink)
aquaman3680 Golden Moray Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Overland Park, KS Posts: 2,215 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: Coral of the Week: Montiopra Awesome growth JFK... I have heard it called a cup coral before so i don't think you are wrong in calling it that. Matt __________________ Check it out! The 90 gallon Road Trip The Bio-Cube Adventure

02-27-2007, 11:26 PM	#9 (permalink)
lgerold Scopas Tang Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Brainerd, Mn Posts: 473 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: Coral of the Week: Montiopra JFK, that is amazing. Can you give us some specific details about how you manage your tank? __________________ Lucy Upgrade from 125 long to 210 on 1/7/07. 66 gallon sump/refugium. 10 hrs of light: 500 watt pc actinic 10 hrs 400 watt pc daylight 6 hrs 500 watt MH 4 hrs 180 lbs branch liverock. 100 lbs + assorted liverock. 3"+ DSB. Fish - Foxface, Yellow Tang, Mimic Tang, 2 Tomato Clowns, pair True Percula Clowns (and their 6 inch pastel green carpet), Mandarin, Scooter Blenny, Bartlett's Anthias, Royal Gramma, Pseudochromis Splendens. Blue/Gold Crocea Clam, Teardrop Squamosa Clam Coral favorites include: 2 Acanastreas, Pink Cynaria, Green Cynaria, Birdsnest, Trumpets, Red and Pink and Green Goniporas (3), Frogspawn (peach favorite), Fox Coral, Diploastrea, Blasto, 3 Fungia (orange, purple, and green) and many others.

02-28-2007, 10:09 AM	#10 (permalink)
rDr4g0n Elegance coral Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: south texas Posts: 1,169 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: Coral of the Week: Montiopra if i ever get MH in my system, im DEFINATLY getting a montipora!!! if they go growth crazy, how can you control them? __________________ I know there are quite a few typos in this post. It's not that I'm stupid... it's more like... I'm lazy. - John My 29 Gallon tank of AWESOME My DIY Projects: My $50, 150watt lighting • 10 gallon tall tank • Hood for my 10gal. tall my r0xx0r DIY protein skimmer • 2 cheap strip lights into 1 • Grow cyano!?

02-28-2007, 01:48 PM	#12 (permalink)
rDr4g0n Elegance coral Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: south texas Posts: 1,169 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: Coral of the Week: Montiopra can you frag these corals? how do you do it? just break a chunk off? __________________ I know there are quite a few typos in this post. It's not that I'm stupid... it's more like... I'm lazy. - John My 29 Gallon tank of AWESOME My DIY Projects: My $50, 150watt lighting • 10 gallon tall tank • Hood for my 10gal. tall my r0xx0r DIY protein skimmer • 2 cheap strip lights into 1 • Grow cyano!?

02-28-2007, 02:38 PM	#14 (permalink)
cheeks69 Wannabe Guru Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Northeast Posts: 7,386 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: Coral of the Week: Montiopra I just love Montiporas ! Although Monti's can adjust to intense light they will lose their deep coloration if placed in the upper regions of the tank under MH's. They are one of the few SPS that can thrive under PC's and no doubt a fast growing coral and are very easy to frag, just break off a piece. Also they like the majority of photosynthetic corals are carnivorous and will eat zooplankton not phytoplankton. BTW JFK spectacular growth on yours, it looks great ! Here's mine recovered completely from a bleaching episode: __________________ Robert My Cube “A spirit is manifest in the laws of the Universe—a spirit vastly superior to that of man, and one in the face of which we with our modest powers must feel humble.” Albert Einstein

02-28-2007, 02:47 PM	#15 (permalink)
blue_eyes53813 Hey!Its not my fault Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Lancaster, Wisconsin Posts: 8,024 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: Coral of the Week: Montiopra These corals are one of my favorites...They always give the tank alot of color.. __________________ 265 Gallon Reef built into basement wall. Lighting = 6x250 watts MH, 2x96 watt PC ,and 2x140 watt VHO for a total watt of 1,972 watts . New addition on 4-14-07 of 100 gallon sump and 100 gallon refugium. I think I have lost my mind. Gotta love this hobby Vicki Life is like a pathway of untrodden snow. Be careful how you step in it for every mark will show Definition of FRIENDSHIP: All lives touch other lives to create something new and alive My tank chronicles. http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/...wall-reef.html

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