Montipora plating (cap coral)
Montipora capricornis
Also known as Cap Coral, Plating Montipora, Monti Cap
SaltwaterCoral
Care at a glance
- Temperature
- 75–81°F
- 24–27°C
- pH
- 8.1–8.4
- Adult size
- 7.9 in
- 20 cm
- Minimum tank
- 20 gal
- 75 L
- Temperament
- Peaceful
- Social behavior
- Solitary
- Swim level
- Bottom
- Diet
- Photosynthetic
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Breeding
- Medium
- Rarity
- Very common
- Reef safe
- Reef safe
- Family
- Acroporidae
- Origin
- Indo-Pacific reefs, commonly collected and maricultured from Indonesia and Australia
Overview
The Montipora plating (cap coral) is a plating SPS coral for a mature, stable reef tank. It is one of the more forgiving SPS corals and suits a keeper with a little reef experience.
Did you know
The overlapping plates of a Montipora plating (cap coral) often curl up at the edges into a broad vase or rose shape. That shape is why hobbyists nickname it the cap coral.
Caring for the Montipora plating (cap coral)
Give a Montipora plating (cap coral) moderate to high light, roughly 150 to 250 PAR. Run moderate to strong flow across the plate so detritus cannot settle on it. Mount it in the mid to upper rockwork, angled to catch the light. Introduce it lower in the tank first and move it up gradually to avoid light shock.
It needs a mature, chemically stable tank of at least 20 gal (75 L), with steady alkalinity and calcium. Keep the water at 75 to 81°F (24 to 27°C) with a pH of 8.1 to 8.4. It reacts badly to sudden swings in alkalinity, temperature or light. It relies mostly on photosynthesis from its symbiotic zooxanthellae, and it also captures fine particulate food.
It has no sweeper tentacles, so it will not sting its neighbors. More aggressive corals can easily overgrow or sting it, so give it its own space. A growing cap casts heavy shade on anything below it, and one colony can eventually shade a large area of the tank floor.
Good to know
Montipora capricornis is a zooxanthellate coral in the family Acroporidae, and like other Montipora it has very small polyps. It builds thin calcium carbonate plates that spread outward and stack into layered shelves. Under good conditions, a colony grows roughly 5 to 7 cm across per year.
In the wild
Montipora capricornis forms overlapping whorls and vase-like shelves on shallow to mid Indo-Pacific reefs. Colonies in the trade are commonly collected and maricultured from Indonesia and Australia.
Common questions
What size tank does a Montipora plating (cap coral) need?
A Montipora plating (cap coral) needs at least 20 gal (75 L).
What temperature and pH does a Montipora plating (cap coral) need?
A Montipora plating (cap coral) is comfortable at 75–81°F (24–27°C) with a pH of 8.1–8.4.
What does a Montipora plating (cap coral) eat?
A Montipora plating (cap coral) gets most of its food through photosynthesis by its symbiotic zooxanthellae. It adds to that by capturing fine particulate food.
How big does a Montipora plating (cap coral) get?
An adult Montipora plating (cap coral) reaches about 7.9 in (20 cm).
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