The Full Monti

[andysgirl8800]

Alright guys, I would like to finally add a montipora coral to my tank. Are they difficult to keep? It will either be a monti or a plate coral that I add next. What have been your experiences with keeping this coral? Do they tend to grow fast? Yes, I realize that growth has a lot to do with water quality, lighting, and flow :mrgreen:. Thanks all for your feedback, and I strongly encorage photos of your monti, so I can get a better idea of growth patterns and colors.

 

[d2mini]

Easy and fast growing. Probably the best starter sps.
The easiest to frag too. I've even seen people glue a two or three different colors together to create a rainbow monti.

 

[parrotchute]

s long as you keep your calc, up, they should grow well!

 

[Hiker4twenty]

Monti's are a good SPS to start off with. I dove in head first to SPS and got burned. Out of the 9 I bought I only have 4 left. The monti cap is doing the best and has been consistantly growing. Good luck with it.

 

[j4ant]

orange monti was my 1st try at SPS. growing well. just make sure you blow the sand, or waste off that may build up on it.

 

[Melosu58]

I have a red and green one. I also have VHO lighting and they do great.

 

[andysgirl8800]

Thanks everyone...is it a sand or rock coral?

 

[Bifferwine]

Rock.

 

[yote]

Montis are one coral that I've about give up on.
I know they are supposed to be the easiest SPS to keep,but they dont seem to like my tank.
But you'll great with one AG.Just keep calcium,alkalinity,and magnesium levels stable and it'll do great for you.

 

[andysgirl8800]

Thanks Yote, I like to hear the good and the bad.

 

[PRC]

I added one to my tank a few weeks ago. I have MH lights, I put it too high in the tank and it started to bleach, after realizing the error of my ways I lowered it in the tank. It has almost made a full recovery in a couple of weeks, so I'd have to agree with everyone else, easy to care for!!. I have an orange, I would try to find a different color...I like the orange but I wish it had more pop in the color if you know what I mean.

 

[dcantucson]

It seems to be the only coral I can't kill.

 

[ccCapt]

It seems to be the only coral I can't kill.

Bump your alk up to about 11-12 dKH. You'll kill it. ;)
IME, monti's are more sensative to higher alk than other SPS corals.

 

[sen5241b]

I have a nice big green plate coral. I keep her lower in the tank under MH and feed her a lot. She loves sushi roe. If the light in my fuge (shining on cheato) goes out for about 48 hours the plate will slowly begin bleaching. Replace bulbs/fix lights and the thing gets healthy again fast.

 

[Melosu58]

I agree that it needs to be on a rock. I got some tonga rock (branch like) and set it on there and it has attached to it permanantly now.