Foliose montipora (Montipora foliosa) care guide

Group

Corals

Other names

Montipora cap, Plating montipora

Family

Acroporidae

Origin

Indo-Pacific, from East Africa and the Red Sea to the central Pacific

Water

saltwater

Temperature

22–26°C

pH

8.1–8.4

Hardness

dKH 8–12

Care level

intermediate

Reef safe

yes

Lighting

Moderate to high; about PAR 200–300

Flow

Moderate to strong, varied

Care

Montipora foliosa forms thin, leafy plates that build up in overlapping tiers and whorls, much like the familiar Montipora capricornis "cap" corals. The surface often has fine ridges radiating from the centre. Aquarium colours are green, brown, orange, red and purple, often with a paler growing edge. Place it mid to high in the rockwork with the plate angled to catch light and flow, and leave room for it to spread sideways without shading its neighbours. LiveAquaria lists plating montipora as moderate in care, with moderate light and medium flow; Top Shelf suggests about PAR 200–300 and moderate to strong, varied flow, with light increased over 1–2 weeks. Water: LiveAquaria gives dKH 8–12, pH 8.1–8.4 and 22–26 °C, and Top Shelf gives calcium 400–450 ppm and magnesium about 1250–1380 ppm. Keep calcium around 400–450 ppm, alkalinity steady at dKH 8–12 and magnesium around 1250–1350 ppm, and avoid daily alkalinity swings. Growth is fast once settled. Captive-grown frags are widely available. Inspect new pieces for Montipora-eating nudibranchs and their eggs. Selling: this is a CITES Appendix II coral. Frags grown in the UK can be sold freely; wild-collected or imported pieces must have been legally imported with CITES paperwork. Sources: LiveAquaria (liveaquaria.com/products/red-candy-cap-coral); Top Shelf Aquatics (topshelfaquatics.com/pages/corals/green-montipora-cap-coral). Checked October 2026.

Diet

Photosynthetic: zooxanthellae supply most of its energy. Occasional zooplankton, phytoplankton, rotifers or fine coral foods can speed growth and help colour.

Breeding

Snap or cut a piece of plate with bone cutters and glue it to a plug or rock with cyanoacrylate gel; the edge will keep growing outwards. You can control size by trimming plates regularly or mounting the colony at an angle.

Compatibility and tank mates

Peaceful with a mild sting. Give it about 8–10 cm from neighbours and more from Euphyllia, Galaxea and favites, which can damage it. Fast-growing plates can shade corals beneath them. Watch for Montipora-eating nudibranchs.

Last updated 8 October 2026. Community-edited care guide on Aquatic-Auctions.