Montipora Care Guide

Montipora is the classic first SPS (small-polyp stony coral). It grows quickly in plating, encrusting or branching forms, comes in brilliant colours, and is far more forgiving than Acropora.

Is my tank ready?

SPS corals build their skeletons fast, so they need stable alkalinity and calcium. Your tank should have been running steadily for a few months, and you should be testing alkalinity at least a few times a week.

Light and flow

Medium to high light and medium to strong flow. Start a new frag a little lower than its final spot and move it up over a couple of weeks. Plating Montipora looks best where the flow runs across its surface.

Placement

Mid to upper rockwork. Plating types grow outwards and can shade corals underneath them, so plan for the size it will reach. Montipora is not aggressive, but faster-growing neighbours may need trimming back.

Parameters

Alkalinity 8 to 9 dKH, calcium 420 to 440 ppm, magnesium 1300 to 1400 ppm, and nitrate and phosphate low but not zero. See the water parameters guide for the full list.

Pests to watch for

Montipora-eating nudibranchs are small, well camouflaged, and leave white patches where they eat. Dip every new Montipora before it goes in (our acclimation guide shows how) and check the underside of plates for tiny egg spirals.