WWYD Monti Cap

[Szweier]

My green and red monti caps are growing nicely but due to the growth pattern you can’t really see the colorful side unless you look down at it. I’m considering cutting the center cups off and letting the flatter portion show. I wanted to get some thoughts on whether or not you think that’d look good / better / worse? Other ideas?


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[Ef4life]

It’s a healthy monti cap, it will need to be broken up sooner or later due to growth. You can always break it up and glue back pieces onto itself so it’s flatter looking but still large and the damage will heal rather quickly.

 

[littlebeard]

Throw it away before it takes over and eats all your calcium ? Current bane of my aquarium .

 

[Reeferbadness]

Mine plates like crazy and i have to trim regularly to keep it from taking over the tank

 

[Szweier]

Throw it away before it takes over and eats all your calcium ? Current bane of my aquarium .

Funny enough, that’s what my purple haze monti is bus doing currently. At least the caps are easier to snap and maintain and then montipora encrusting my rock, glass and sand.

 

[Szweier]

Mine plates like crazy and i have to trim regularly to keep it from taking over the tank

I think that’s where I went wrong. Looks like you keeping it in the back makes it angle forward toward the light while mine in the front leans towards the back to get the light. Yours looks beautiful btw.

 

[Szweier]

It’s a healthy monti cap, it will need to be broken up sooner or later due to growth. You can always break it up and glue back pieces onto itself so it’s flatter looking but still large and the damage will heal rather quickly.

So you think just breaking up the top cups and layering it a bit flatter would be the best approach here?

 

[Ef4life]

So you think just breaking up the top cups and layering it a bit flatter would be the best approach here?

Best? Depends if that’s what you want. Just an option. Monti grows fast so if you do that it will be just that much sooner before you have to cut it back again. Montipora remind me of the saying “what’s the difference between a good haircut and a bad haircut? 2 weeks” breaking it up and leaving it small will look bad for a little bit but then it will just grow into its new shape naturally like never happened over the next few months