What is the easiest monti to keep?

get_armbarred · Feb 5, 2011

Im starting to gain intrest in montis but recently had an all SPS crash. When i start keeping them again i want some montis but want them to live.

P.S. pics always help

Michael7979 · Feb 5, 2011

I would suggest that you start off with some monti. digita and/or monti. cap, both are easy to care for and find.
Good Luck with the restart!

btkrausen · Feb 5, 2011

I personally think that montipora capricornus are the easiest to keep. If you meant which ones specifically, I think orange/red are the fastest growers from what I've seen. Kinda like this:

MoneyPit · Feb 5, 2011

I have had my Tyree Superman Monti for a good 6 weeks and it is doing fine. I recently moved it to a higher lighting position as a test. It is in the middle of my zoas just for now. I only have this one so it is all I can comment about. So far so good, pretty easy.

btkrausen · Feb 5, 2011

yeah, the encrusting monti's aren't hard to keep either. I've had great luck with almost every monti I've had, so I wouldn't be too scared to try one. I currently have a Forest Fire Digitata, and a bunch of Monit Caps that grow well.

If you start adding some calcium to your tank, like kalkwasser or two part, then you'll really see an improvement in growth.

Mariner · Feb 5, 2011

I agree. The orange monti cap and orange monti digi are very hardy and easy to keep.

btkrausen · Feb 5, 2011

Best part about trying a cap is that most people will break you off a piece for just $5-10, so it would be a cheap investment to see if your tank is ready. Heck, if you were close, I'd break you off a chuck off my green montio cap colony for free.

get_armbarred · Feb 6, 2011

btkrausen said:
Best part about trying a cap is that most people will break you off a piece for just $5-10, so it would be a cheap investment to see if your tank is ready. Heck, if you were close, I'd break you off a chuck off my green montio cap colony for free.

Yea if ever that way ill have to get ahold of you.

m and m · Feb 6, 2011

Caps will be super easy to start with, from their rainow and sunset are pretty cheap these days and most local clubs you can get then for 20 ish.

btkrausen · Feb 6, 2011

get_armbarred said:
Yea if ever that way ill have to get ahold of you.

Sure, have at it. I'm just south of Louisville, but actually work in Jeffersonville IN.

aalvarado87 · Feb 6, 2011

try out a cap. Their are a lot of different colors you can get purple, green, red and then always the different colorer polyp ones so you can get a nice variety. If you were in our local club you could get some for free their are always preople tossing that stuff away at least the more bland colors. like orange and green.

raymond · Feb 6, 2011

the caps are easy and grow pretty fast, just keep it towards the top of the tank, and make sure it has room to grow

KingRicky · Feb 6, 2011

raymond said:
the caps are easy and grow pretty fast, just keep it towards the top of the tank, and make sure it has room to grow

When placing Caps, you need to think about their growth patterns. If you place it up high, you can eliminate areas for other coral due to the cap shading the area below it. I place mine towards the lower middle in the water column that way you can allow for other corals above them.

dougers31 · Feb 15, 2011

Definantely go with a monti cap or two. I take frags of my grape/purple and orange caps and glue them to a frag plug to get a nice "hybrid" mix to'em. Both grow fast and look great together.

reefhead · Feb 15, 2011

the first ones i got from a fellow reefer were seasons greetings, sunset, and pokerstar. they were my first sps and they have been doing fine. i was surprised at how well they have done so far. fingers crossed.

Dark_Knightt · Feb 22, 2021

Where should you place monti caps? I'm looking at getting a red monticap frag as my first ever SPS, and some have told me to place it around the bottom, others middle, others up top.

guylaga · Feb 23, 2021

Dark_Knightt said:
Where should you place monti caps? I'm looking at getting a red monticap frag as my first ever SPS, and some have told me to place it around the bottom, others middle, others up top.

Depending of course on how strong your lighting is, middle should be the highest you go since once established caps will grow fast and quickly shade out what ever is beneath them.

LeftyReefer · Feb 23, 2021

I must be one of the few reefers who can't keep monti's. LOL.

I've had terrible luck with them.... they just slowly bleach and die for me. I've actually had better luck with acros/sticks than montis for some reason.

I really like them, but just can't keep them alive.

digi's do great, but monti's die. Wish I knew why.

I really wanted a Beach Bum or Vino but can't justify it when I can't even keep a $5 red cap monti frag alive in my tank.

The only monti I've had any success with (and I use success loosely here, by success I mean It's still alive.) is a Tyree Sunset monti. While at the same time, I've managed to kill off (2) different Mystic Sunset monti's and also a nice kryptonite green monti.

Dark_Knightt · Feb 23, 2021

guylaga said:
Depending of course on how strong your lighting is, middle should be the highest you go since once established caps will grow fast and quickly shade out what ever is beneath them.

Ok I've thought of a place I would like to place the red monti cap, its between the middle and the bottom. Hoping this works out: I keep clean water, dose (Kh, Mg, Ca with Fluval Essential Ions Raise and Maintain) and test.