Montipora cap (Montipora capricornis) care guide

Group
Corals
Other names
Cap coral, Plating montipora, Vase coral, Red candy cap, Green cap
Family
Acroporidae
Origin
Indo-West Pacific, including Indonesia and Australia
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 capricornis is the popular cap, plating or vase coral: a small-polyp stony (SPS) coral that grows as thin, spiralling plates. Its shape depends on light and flow, from flat plates to whorled vases. The two best-known forms are red/orange caps (LiveAquaria's Red Candy Cap) and green caps, and purple caps are also common. Most aquarium pieces are aquacultured. Placement: middle to upper rockwork on a stable base, with room to spread. Under strong lighting it can sit lower; under weaker lighting place it higher. Mounting it upright or at an angle encourages tiered growth. Top Shelf Aquatics gives a moderate-to-high light target of about PAR 200–300 (acclimatise over 1–2 weeks) and moderate to high, varied flow, including flow under the plates. Water: alkalinity dKH 8–12 and calcium 400–450 ppm, with calcium and alkalinity kept up by a two-part supplement and magnesium in range. Keep alkalinity steady; rapid swings cause tissue loss. Colour fades in very low nutrients and goes brown in high nutrients or low light. Growth is fast. 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

Mainly photosynthetic. Occasional broadcast feeding of fine zooplankton, phytoplankton, coral foods or amino acids supports growth and colour.

Breeding

Easy. Break or cut sections from the plate with bone cutters (taking 'pie slices' rather than trimming all the edges) and glue them to a plug or rock with gel superglue or epoxy.

Compatibility and tank mates

Peaceful, with a mild sting; give 8–10 cm from neighbours. Keep it away from aggressive corals such as Euphyllia, Galaxea and long-sweeper LPS. Its spreading plates shade corals beneath. Montipora-eating nudibranchs are the main pest to look out for.

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

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