Jawbreaker Monitpora Capricornis

Frags are fully encrusted and around 1″. Larger pieces available upon request.

Similar to the familiar original “grafted montipora” but this one has a brighter green much like the green monti cap. We like to mix a few of the different Montipora capricornis varieties together to get a wild looking garden. Watch them grow out in your reef aquarium, as they scroll around each other, forming a collage in their own unique way.

Montipora corals much easier than acropora. Doc recommends regular testing for best results. Many Montipora species like the Capricornis species are tabling and can shade the reef below if placed up high. For the shelving types it is best to place them at the lower 1/3 of the tank or even on the floor of the aquarium.

Lighting: medium – strong lighting 150-350 PAR.
Flow: medium – high
Care Level: Easy – intermediate- advanced
Original Location Range: Indonesia, Coral Triangle, South Pacific
Grown in our California coral farm where we provide zero impact corals
Water chemistry: Calcium 400-450, Magnesium 1350, KH 7-9.5, pH 8.1-8.4, Nitrates .01-10, Phosphates .01-.1 salinity 1.026
Temperature Range: 74- 81 Fahrenheit

Dosing: Doc highly recommends automated dosing of Ca, Kh and other elements to provide ultimate stable water chemistry throughout the day. It is important there are no fluctuations especially with Kh/alkalinity. For more information on dosing and products click here.

Attachment and placement: Use epoxy and reef glue gel. Clip off as much of the plug or disc possible. Add a small amount of coral glue to the underside of the disk. Mix up enough two part epoxy to create a small mound and dab it a few times into the glue to get it tacky then press and mold a conical shape. Add a few small daps to the tip of the cone dabbing the glue so it really sticks to the epoxy. Press the coral disk onto the desired location and press the epoxy flat around the disk. Be sure the coral is fully secure, the coral should never fall off the reef. The epoxy part can be skipped using only the extra thick reef glue gel. Be sure to rub a little reef glue onto the reef section and there is enough reef glue on the coral plug to set it securely.
In all our aquarium builds we like to place the branching montipora corals in the mid to upper section of the reef aquaria. Most will grow branching out pretty open and not shade the reef below much. The plating species, like Capricornis species, should go in the lower section and even on the floor as they shelf out and shade the area below.

Click here for our favorite epoxy and reef glues.

Trouble shooting: Montipora species, particularly the Capricornis strain, will develop fading corals if nutrient levels go to low or there is a lack of elements that help with the corals color. Another big problem is the Montipora eating nudibranchs. It is very important to quarantine Montiporas for a minimum of a few weeks to ensure this pest is not transferred to your display tank. If you do end up with nudibranchs from another source, the easiest and best way to eradicate them is by starvation. Remove all Montipora pieces for 3 months and the nudibranchs will die off. Wrasses are very helpful with eating nudibranchs although the nudibranchs come out at night while fish are sleeping.