QUICK STATS

Care Level: Moderate
Coral Type: SPS / Plating Montipora
Temperament: Peaceful to Semi-Aggressive by Growth
Photosynthetic: Yes
Placement: Middle to Upper / Rockwork
Lighting: Moderate to High
Water Flow: Moderate to Strong, Random / Indirect
Approximate Purchase Size: Varies by Frag Size
Approximate Max Size: Plating Colony Growth Depends on Stability, Space, Lighting, and Flow

STARBURST CAP MONTIPORA CORAL

The Starburst Cap Montipora Coral is a colorful plating SPS coral known for its scrolling cap growth, warm orange to red-orange base coloration, and contrasting bright polyp detail. Depending on the specimen and lighting, it may show orange, burnt orange, red-orange, pink-orange, gold, yellow, yellow-green, or bright starburst-style polyp contrast across the plate and growth rim.

This coral is commonly associated with Montipora capricornis / Montipora capricornus-style plating growth, forming layered shelves, curled plates, and broad scrolling edges over time. It adds strong structure and color to SPS rockwork, because apparently the reef hobby looked at flat coral and thought, “What if this became expensive shelving?”

Starburst Cap Montipora is popular because it offers classic cap growth with brighter collector-style coloration. A healthy frag may begin by encrusting at the base before expanding outward into plates. As it matures, it can create layered folds and shelves that add movement and dimension to the reef, minus the part where it starts shading everything below like a tiny fluorescent roof.

The Starburst Cap Montipora is photosynthetic and receives much of its energy from reef lighting. It may also benefit from dissolved nutrients, amino acids, and fine particulate foods in established reef systems. Compared with Acropora, many Montipora are more forgiving, but they are still SPS corals and should be kept in stable, mature aquariums.

This coral is generally considered peaceful, but it can become semi-aggressive by growth. It may shade, plate over, or crowd nearby corals as it expands. It does not need sweeper tentacles to cause trouble. It simply grows sideways and makes everyone below it live in the dark, like a tiny landlord with photosynthesis.

Note: Image is a representation of what to expect. The coral you receive may vary slightly in size, plate shape, orange intensity, polyp coloration, growth edge, and overall appearance.

AQUARIUM REQUIREMENTS

AQUARIUM SIZE

A minimum aquarium size of 20-30 gallons or larger is recommended for Starburst Cap Montipora, though larger mature reef systems are preferred. Larger aquariums provide better water stability, stronger flow options, and more room for plating growth.

Cap Montipora can grow outward and create broad plates over time. Plan placement carefully so it does not shade lower corals or grow into neighboring colonies. This is one of those corals that starts as a cute frag and eventually develops structural opinions.

PLACEMENT RECOMMENDATIONS

Starburst Cap Montipora is best placed on middle to upper rockwork where it receives moderate to high lighting and moderate to strong varied flow. Start lower if the coral is new, freshly shipped, or coming from lower lighting, then move it gradually once it shows good color, polyp extension, and growth.

Rock Placement: Place securely on stable rockwork where the coral has room to plate outward and grow without rubbing against nearby rock or coral skeletons.

Sandbed Placement: Temporary sandbed placement can work during acclimation if lighting is intense, but long-term placement should usually be on rockwork with appropriate light and flow.

Growth Space: Leave open space around and below the coral. Starburst Cap Montipora can shade corals underneath as it plates outward.

Spacing: Leave space from nearby corals to prevent contact, shading, or overgrowth. It is not usually a strong stinger, but it can still win through growth and shade.

SPS Zones: Best placed in an SPS-friendly area with stable light, strong flow, and room for outward plating growth. Avoid placing it close to aggressive LPS corals such as torches, hammers, frogspawn, galaxea, favias, chalices, or acans.

WATER PARAMETERS

Starburst Cap Montipora requires clean, stable reef conditions. Stability is more important than chasing perfect numbers. Sudden swings in alkalinity, salinity, nutrients, temperature, or lighting can cause fading, browning, bleaching, tissue recession, burnt edges, or stalled growth.

Temperature: 76-79°F
pH Level: 8.1-8.4
Salinity: 1.025-1.026 specific gravity
Alkalinity: 7.5-9 dKH
Calcium: 400-450 ppm
Magnesium: 1250-1350 ppm
Nitrate: 2-10 ppm
Phosphate: 0.03-0.08 ppm

Avoid major parameter swings. Montipora can adapt to different nutrient levels, but rapid changes are often the problem. Keep alkalinity especially stable. SPS corals do not appreciate chemistry surprises, which is tragic because reef keepers keep inventing them like it is a civic duty.

LIGHTING

Starburst Cap Montipora prefers moderate to high lighting. A general target range of 150-300 PAR works well for many cap Montipora frags once acclimated, though some Starburst Cap specimens may tolerate or benefit from brighter SPS zones when adapted slowly.

LIGHTING RECOMMENDATIONS

Moderate to High PAR: Start around 125-150 PAR if newly added, then gradually increase if stronger coloration and growth are desired.

Light Acclimation: New Montipora frags should be acclimated gradually to stronger lighting. Start lower or reduce intensity, then increase slowly over several days to weeks.

Color Display: Starburst Cap Montipora often shows its best orange, gold, yellow, or starburst-style polyp contrast under strong reef lighting with stable nutrients.

Growth Edge: The growing rim may appear lighter, brighter, or more colorful than older central areas.

Too Much Light: Signs may include bleaching, pale tissue, fading, burnt edges, or tissue recession.

Too Little Light: Signs may include browning, dull coloration, weak growth, reduced plating, or loss of orange and yellow contrast.

Do not blast a fresh Starburst Cap Montipora frag with maximum light because the name sounds explosive. That is not reef keeping. That is photon-based poor judgment wearing a PAR meter.

WATER FLOW

Starburst Cap Montipora prefers moderate to strong, random water flow. Flow should keep the surface clean, prevent detritus from collecting, and support gas exchange without blasting tissue from one direction.

FLOW RECOMMENDATIONS

Ideal Flow: Moderate to strong, varied, indirect flow that moves across and around the plate.

Avoid Direct Laminar Flow: Constant direct blasting from one direction can irritate tissue, damage growth edges, or create uneven growth.

Avoid Dead Spots: Too little flow can allow detritus to settle on the plate surface or in folds, which may contribute to algae growth or tissue stress.

Plate Shape: As the coral grows, the plate may create shaded or low-flow pockets beneath and around itself. Watch for debris buildup.

Surface Cleanliness: The coral surface should stay clean and free of settled waste. If detritus collects on the cap, increase indirect flow or adjust placement.

If the coral starts losing tissue near the base or around areas where debris settles, evaluate flow and detritus buildup before blaming the coral for being “random.” It is not random. It is just a living thing responding to the underwater dust you made.

DIET

Starburst Cap Montipora is photosynthetic, meaning it receives much of its energy from light through its symbiotic zooxanthellae. It may also benefit from dissolved nutrients and fine particulate foods in the water column.

PRIMARY DIET

Photosynthesis: Moderate to high reef lighting provides much of the coral’s energy.

Broadcast Feeding: The coral may capture fine particles from the water column during regular fish and coral feeding.

Fine Coral Foods: Amino acids, powdered coral foods, phytoplankton-style blends, rotifers, cyclops, and very fine suspended foods may be used carefully in established systems.

Dissolved Nutrients: Low but detectable nitrate and phosphate can help support color and growth. Avoid stripping the aquarium too aggressively.

FEEDING FREQUENCY

Direct target feeding is usually not necessary. Broadcast feeding or general reef feeding 1-2 times per week can be beneficial if nutrients are not already high.

Avoid heavy feeding in small systems. The coral does not need a powdered-food snowstorm because someone watched one SPS video and became dangerous.

COMPATIBILITY

Starburst Cap Montipora works well in SPS-focused and mixed reef aquariums when placed with enough room, strong lighting, good flow, and protection from aggressive neighboring corals.

COMMON TANK MATES

Fish: Reef-safe fish such as clownfish, gobies, blennies, wrasses, tangs, cardinalfish, firefish, anthias, and other peaceful to semi-peaceful community fish.

Avoid: Fish known to nip SPS corals, such as some angelfish, butterflyfish, filefish, puffers, and certain triggers.

Invertebrates: Generally safe with cleaner shrimp, snails, hermit crabs, urchins, and most common reef invertebrates. Large urchins or bulldozing snails may move unsecured frags.

Coral: Keep away from aggressive neighboring corals, especially torches, hammers, frogspawn, galaxea, favias, chalices, acans, mushrooms, and other stinging LPS.

SPS Neighbors: Can be placed near other SPS corals with room for future growth. Watch for shading, edge contact, or competitive overgrowth as colonies mature.

Shading Risk: Starburst Cap Montipora can shade corals underneath as it plates outward. Plan the vertical space below it before it becomes a coral patio roof.

BEHAVIORAL NOTES

Temperament: Peaceful to semi-aggressive by growth. It does not have long sweepers, but it can shade, overgrow, or crowd nearby corals.

Growth Pattern: Plating, scrolling, or shelf-like Montipora growth. The colony may form layered plates, curled edges, and broad shelves over time.

Coloration: May show orange, burnt orange, red-orange, pink-orange, gold, yellow, yellow-green, or bright starburst-style contrast depending on lighting, nutrients, stability, and photography conditions.

Polyp Color: Polyps may appear yellow, gold, orange, yellow-green, or mixed depending on lighting and coral condition.

Growth Rim: A healthy growing edge may appear brighter, lighter, or more colorful than older central areas.

Polyp Extension: Healthy Montipora may show small polyp extension, often more noticeable during calmer periods or after lights begin to dim.

Growth Rate: Starburst Cap Montipora can grow quickly once established in stable reef conditions. Give it room unless the plan is to create a fluorescent coral shelf system, which is beautiful but still technically poor planning.

SPS Sensitivity: More forgiving than many Acropora, but still sensitive to rapid changes in alkalinity, salinity, nutrients, temperature, lighting, and flow.

Algae Risk: Tissue loss or exposed skeleton can quickly become algae-covered if flow, nutrients, or stability are poor.

Frag Handling: Handle by the plug, dead skeleton, or base whenever possible. Avoid touching living tissue or fragile growing edges.

Dipping: Coral dipping before introduction is strongly recommended. Use coral-safe dips according to product directions and inspect the frag plug and base closely.

Pest Awareness: Inspect carefully for Montipora-eating nudibranchs, eggs, flatworms, algae, vermetid snails, and other hitchhikers before placing into the display.

Quarantine: Coral quarantine is ideal for Montipora when possible. Montipora pests are tiny, obnoxious, and very committed to ruining a perfectly good reef.

Base Encrusting: A healthy frag may encrust at the base before developing stronger outward plating growth.

Trade Name Reality: Starburst Cap Montipora is a hobby or trade-name coral, so exact orange tone, yellow polyp intensity, and contrast can vary between vendors, lighting systems, and growth stages. Buy based on the actual frag photo when possible, because coral names are not binding contracts with reality.

Placement Reality: This coral can become a bright plating SPS showpiece, but it needs space. Starburst Cap Montipora does not simply “stay cute.” It expands, shelves, shades, and turns the rockwork into its personal real estate project.

ACCLIMATION PROCESS

This acclimation method helps reduce stress by gradually introducing the coral to your aquarium’s temperature, lighting, and water chemistry.

1. DIM THE LIGHTS

Turn down aquarium lights or place the coral in a shaded lower area at first. This helps reduce stress while the coral adjusts.

2. FLOAT THE BAG

Float the sealed bag in the aquarium for 15-20 minutes to allow the temperature in the bag to equalize with the tank.

3. OPEN BAG, ADD CORAL TO CONTAINER

Carefully open the bag and transfer the coral and shipping water into a clean container. Handle the coral by the plug, base, or dead skeleton rather than touching the living tissue or fragile growing edge.

4. ACCLIMATE USING TANK WATER

Add small amounts of tank water to the container every few minutes for 20-30 minutes. Avoid exposing the coral tissue to air longer than necessary.

5. CORAL DIP

Use a coral-safe dip according to the product instructions. Inspect carefully for Montipora pests, eggs, algae, and hitchhikers before the coral enters your aquarium.

6. TRANSFER CORAL TO AQUARIUM

Place the coral in a lower or slightly shaded SPS-safe area at first, with moderate to strong indirect flow. Discard the shipping and dip water. Do not pour shipping water or dip water into your aquarium.

7. LIGHT ACCLIMATE

Allow the coral to adjust gradually over several days to weeks before moving it into brighter light. Watch for coloration, tissue health, polyp extension, base encrusting, and outward plating growth before making major placement changes.