Sunfire Monti Cap Large

WYSIWYG — What You See Is What You Get The coral in the photos is the exact specimen you will receive. Our photos are taken under medium blue reef lighting to represent the coral as accurately as possible to the naked eye. Colours may appear slightly different under your specific lighting setup. If you have any questions about colouration or would like additional photos before purchasing, please contact us — we're happy to help.

Montipora is one of the most versatile and visually rewarding SPS corals in the reef keeping hobby. Available in an extraordinary range of growth forms — plating, encrusting, branching, and capricornis — and an equally impressive range of colours from deep reds and purples to electric greens and contrasting polyp patterns, montipora brings texture, movement, and colour to a reef in a way few other corals can match.

Often considered the gateway SPS coral for reef keepers ready to move beyond softies and LPS, montipora is more forgiving than acropora while still rewarding the reef keeper who maintains stable, well-balanced water chemistry. A healthy montipora growing across rockwork or spreading in a plating form is one of the most satisfying sights in the hobby.

Care Guide

• Care level: Moderate — a good first SPS coral for reef keepers with established, stable systems
• Lighting: Medium to high — montipora prefers stronger lighting than LPS corals. Plating varieties can be placed lower in the tank while branching and encrusting forms do well mid to upper rockwork
• Flow: Moderate to high — good consistent flow keeps montipora clean and promotes healthy growth. Avoid dead spots and stagnant areas
• Placement: Varies by growth form — plating varieties suit mid to lower rockwork where they can spread horizontally. Branching and encrusting forms suit mid rockwork with good light and flow access
• Temperament: Peaceful — montipora does not produce sweeper tentacles and is generally compatible with neighbouring corals, though it will overgrow slower growing species if given space
• Feeding: Primarily photosynthetic. Montipora can benefit from light feeding with fine particulate reef foods but will thrive under good lighting and stable parameters without target feeding

Water Parameters

• Temperature: 24–26°C
• Salinity: 1.025–1.026
• Calcium: 400–450ppm
• Alkalinity: 8–11 dKH
• Magnesium: 1280–1380ppm
• Nitrate: 1–10ppm
• Phosphate: 0.01–0.08ppm

Note: Montipora is sensitive to rapid parameter changes — particularly alkalinity swings. Stability is more important than hitting exact target numbers. Gradual adjustments always preferred over rapid corrections.