Orange M. Capricornus Care

***Reefland*** · 02-08-2003, 04:07 AM

Hi All!

I picked up a silver-dollar sized orange M. Capricornus frag tonight and was wondering how you care for yours? I have heard several different theories:

They seem to grow best in shaded low current areas.

They seem to grow best in moderate flow high light areas and sometimes turn pink.

Where do you have yours?

tendar · 02-08-2003, 04:30 AM

mine is in a so so current ) I blast it with a turkey baster every day at least once to keep off setiment) and under 250 10k halide about 8" down just off to the side of light. It gets plenty of though does very well.

***Reefland*** · 02-08-2003, 04:32 AM

How long have you had it tendar? Has it maintained it's orange coloration?

**Ninong** · 02-08-2003, 10:15 AM

Scott,

M. capricornis is very adaptable. Its natural habitat can be anywhere from deep water to surging reef crest to turbid lagoon.

The color can change in reef aquaria depending on the light intensity. It is easy to tell where a wild collected specimen came from by its shape (assuming it is a large enough specimen). Flat, relatively smooth, plating specimens are from deeper water than those with irregular, convoluted surfaces. Vase-like shapes would be from more intensely lighted areas than flat plating shapes. This sort of morphological change is common among scleractinians. At lower depths they open up more to expose more of their surface to the available light. Changes due to water pressure would be the topic of another thread.

It is usually safe to assume that most of the wild collected corals for the aquarium trade are collected from the locations that are the most accessible -- shallow lagoons. Do you know if your frag is from a wild collected specimen or from an aquacultured specimen? Either way I think you can place it pretty much anywhere you please in your tank. Most people place them towards the bottom because they don't want them shading too many other corals.

**kevinpo** · 02-08-2003, 12:50 PM

What Ninong said

with a couple of additions, I would advise keeping it an area with strong enough water flow to prevent accumulation of debris on its surface and high enough off the bottom to prevent any sand kickers from depositing sand on it. Also give it plenty of room! They grow like weeds

Regards,
Kevin

***Reefland*** · 02-08-2003, 03:15 PM

Ninong,

It is supposedly a frag from an aquacultered colony. I'm not sure what kind of lighting it was under as the parent colony but at the store it was under 250w mogule Hamilton bulbs. All of the frags I have gotten from there need a very slow acclimation I guess due to the higher PAR from my lighting system. I sure hope it keeps it's orange coloration though, it is really bright!

Right now I have it sitting about 3" off the sandbed but I can see a few sand particles on it this morning. I guess I will have to actively clean it until it is acclimated to the light.

6-line · 02-14-2003, 01:32 AM

Whatever you do, make sure you don't accidently knock some salt creep into them.
I did this today on a cream colored M. cap and an Orange M. cap about baby hand sized. left some mean looking marks on the tissue.
However, knowing M. caps, they should grow right over the semi-bleached sections in no time.

I wasn't quick enough with the turkey baster.

We call these the Catchallaporas!

MtnDewMan · 02-14-2003, 08:54 PM

They definately can grow like weeds. I had two 1" frags when I first got one ... within 16 months or less it was 9" across, 9" front to back, and 6" deep ...

It got HUGE, I don't have it anymore ....

Here it is near when I got rid of it ...

Here it is when I first got it ...

**Minh Nguyen** · 02-15-2003, 03:04 AM

The more light you give it the more vertical it grows. In low light it is almost flat. Orange Montipora cap keep it color the most in lower light. In your tank, it should do well. Like Kevin said, it should have reasonable amount of current to keep dirt and sand from build up in the coral or it will die where the dirt settle.
All in all, they are one of the easier but very colorful and beautiful SPS to grow because they are so adaptable and keep their color well.
Minh Nguyen

LittleDevil · 02-20-2003, 12:39 AM

Mine is turning colors, it was really bright orange, now it fading. I do have it really high in the tank, but i figured it was where the stronger currents where. Should I move it back down? Will it regain its bright color again??
Thanks,
MAtt

I am going to try and post a pic, not to sure if will work?????

***Reefland*** · 02-20-2003, 02:50 AM

There is a chance that it is getting too much light thus turning more pale than it was. We have ours located in the bottom 3" of the water column and it has retained it's brilliant color.

How long have you had yours and did you acclimate it sufficiently?

Regards,

LittleDevil · 02-20-2003, 07:13 PM

Scott,
I have had mine for about 1 month. It seems like It has only lost a little bit of color. Also it seems like it has grown about 1/4" and you can see that it is not flat anymore.
I bought it from a LFS, They had it under 3-400mh 200g tank. I only have 2-250mh 150gallon tank. I started on the rocks for about 1 week then moved it up. its about 4inches under the water, and about 10" from the halides. Is that ok??
Thanks,
MAtt

Elmo18 · 02-21-2003, 03:11 AM

I got one from Scubadude (aka Rocky) and it was about silver dollar in size frag when i got it. Well now it's starting to vase and getting thicker!! I have it in a low-moderate current area near the top of the tank.

- Elmo

**kevinpo** · 02-21-2003, 08:11 AM

Here was mine when I got it about the size of a 50 cent piece.

Regards,
Kevin

**kevinpo** · 02-21-2003, 08:14 AM

Here's a picture taken in Jan. this year. I have made several large frags from it also.

Regards,
Kevin

mako · 02-23-2003, 09:08 PM

I guess each is different in it's own way. My orange cap. keeps the same color whether placed high or low in the tank. Here is a pic when placed high.

I have a few frags, actually smaller colonies, down low and the color is pretty much the same.

A great coral!

smpolyp · 02-25-2003, 12:30 AM

Chuck your just a show off. How about a few little nidi's for that piece. Oh and why did you miss the last meeting?

mako · 02-25-2003, 01:51 AM

Who me?

No thanks Russell...no nudi's for me. Man, I am pretty paronoid about those things now that I have known some people that have had them. Horrible plight...just horrible.

I was getting in the truck getting ready to head to that meeting and the sky let loose. And I mean let loose...it was raining sideways ya know. Just did not realish the though of driving for an hour in that crap. Sorry I missed ya, but count on me for the next one.

**scubadude** · 02-25-2003, 02:16 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by smpolyp
Chuck your just a show off. How about a few little nidi's for that piece. Oh and why did you miss the last meeting?

LMAO....You are sooooo busted chuck! Thats it Russ....tear him up!

smpolyp · 03-01-2003, 12:06 PM

Next moth we get a treat of behind the scene tour of Seaworld. Missing it is punishment enough.

02-08-2003, 04:07 AM	#1
*Reefland* Owner Join Date: Feb 2000 Location: Bardstown, KY Posts: 13,161	Orange M. Capricornus Care Hi All! I picked up a silver-dollar sized orange M. Capricornus frag tonight and was wondering how you care for yours? I have heard several different theories: They seem to grow best in shaded low current areas. They seem to grow best in moderate flow high light areas and sometimes turn pink. Where do you have yours? __________________ Scott Z. 75 Gallon Reef Log Powered by Reefland's Personal Online Aquarium Log

02-08-2003, 04:32 AM	#3
*Reefland* Owner Join Date: Feb 2000 Location: Bardstown, KY Posts: 13,161	How long have you had it tendar? Has it maintained it's orange coloration? __________________ Scott Z. 75 Gallon Reef Log Powered by Reefland's Personal Online Aquarium Log

02-08-2003, 10:15 AM	#4
Ninong Moderator Join Date: Jun 2000 Location: Louisiana Posts: 20,691	Scott, M. capricornis is very adaptable. Its natural habitat can be anywhere from deep water to surging reef crest to turbid lagoon. The color can change in reef aquaria depending on the light intensity. It is easy to tell where a wild collected specimen came from by its shape (assuming it is a large enough specimen). Flat, relatively smooth, plating specimens are from deeper water than those with irregular, convoluted surfaces. Vase-like shapes would be from more intensely lighted areas than flat plating shapes. This sort of morphological change is common among scleractinians. At lower depths they open up more to expose more of their surface to the available light. Changes due to water pressure would be the topic of another thread. It is usually safe to assume that most of the wild collected corals for the aquarium trade are collected from the locations that are the most accessible -- shallow lagoons. Do you know if your frag is from a wild collected specimen or from an aquacultured specimen? Either way I think you can place it pretty much anywhere you please in your tank. Most people place them towards the bottom because they don't want them shading too many other corals. __________________ Ninong

02-08-2003, 12:50 PM	#5
kevinpo Moderator Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Spokane Valley WA Posts: 2,460	What Ninong said with a couple of additions, I would advise keeping it an area with strong enough water flow to prevent accumulation of debris on its surface and high enough off the bottom to prevent any sand kickers from depositing sand on it. Also give it plenty of room! They grow like weeds Regards, Kevin __________________ SPSguy On - On

02-08-2003, 03:15 PM	#6
*Reefland* Owner Join Date: Feb 2000 Location: Bardstown, KY Posts: 13,161	Thanks guys! Ninong, It is supposedly a frag from an aquacultered colony. I'm not sure what kind of lighting it was under as the parent colony but at the store it was under 250w mogule Hamilton bulbs. All of the frags I have gotten from there need a very slow acclimation I guess due to the higher PAR from my lighting system. I sure hope it keeps it's orange coloration though, it is really bright! Right now I have it sitting about 3" off the sandbed but I can see a few sand particles on it this morning. I guess I will have to actively clean it until it is acclimated to the light. __________________ Scott Z. 75 Gallon Reef Log Powered by Reefland's Personal Online Aquarium Log

02-08-2003, 04:30 AM	#2
tendar Governor Join Date: May 2000 Location: tempe,AZ Posts: 1,114	mine is in a so so current ) I blast it with a turkey baster every day at least once to keep off setiment) and under 250 10k halide about 8" down just off to the side of light. It gets plenty of though does very well.

02-14-2003, 01:32 AM	#7
6-line Protector of Tridacnidae Join Date: Aug 2000 Location: Greater Cincinnati Area, USA Posts: 26	Whatever you do, make sure you don't accidently knock some salt creep into them. I did this today on a cream colored M. cap and an Orange M. cap about baby hand sized. left some mean looking marks on the tissue. However, knowing M. caps, they should grow right over the semi-bleached sections in no time. I wasn't quick enough with the turkey baster. We call these the Catchallaporas! __________________ If you're not obsessed, you're not doing it right.... Enter 6-line's Coral Realm Come join/check out our group.... Cincinnati Reefkeeper's Society.....

02-14-2003, 08:54 PM	#8
MtnDewMan Mayor Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Mukilteo, WA Posts: 748	They definately can grow like weeds. I had two 1" frags when I first got one ... within 16 months or less it was 9" across, 9" front to back, and 6" deep ... It got HUGE, I don't have it anymore .... Here it is near when I got rid of it ... Here it is when I first got it ... __________________ MDM My Reef Tank Reef Frontiers

02-15-2003, 03:04 AM	#9
Minh Nguyen Contributing Member/Moderator Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: Corpus Christi, TX Posts: 675	The more light you give it the more vertical it grows. In low light it is almost flat. Orange Montipora cap keep it color the most in lower light. In your tank, it should do well. Like Kevin said, it should have reasonable amount of current to keep dirt and sand from build up in the coral or it will die where the dirt settle. All in all, they are one of the easier but very colorful and beautiful SPS to grow because they are so adaptable and keep their color well. Minh Nguyen __________________ Minh Visit my tank at: http://berlinmethod.com/minhn/ http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issu...2/aquarium.htm

02-20-2003, 12:39 AM	#10
LittleDevil Tenant Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Flint,Mi Posts: 90	color Mine is turning colors, it was really bright orange, now it fading. I do have it really high in the tank, but i figured it was where the stronger currents where. Should I move it back down? Will it regain its bright color again?? Thanks, MAtt I am going to try and post a pic, not to sure if will work????? Attached Thumbnails

02-20-2003, 02:50 AM	#11
*Reefland* Owner Join Date: Feb 2000 Location: Bardstown, KY Posts: 13,161	Hi LittleDevil! There is a chance that it is getting too much light thus turning more pale than it was. We have ours located in the bottom 3" of the water column and it has retained it's brilliant color. How long have you had yours and did you acclimate it sufficiently? Regards, __________________ Scott Z. 75 Gallon Reef Log Powered by Reefland's Personal Online Aquarium Log

02-20-2003, 07:13 PM	#12
LittleDevil Tenant Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Flint,Mi Posts: 90	Scott, I have had mine for about 1 month. It seems like It has only lost a little bit of color. Also it seems like it has grown about 1/4" and you can see that it is not flat anymore. I bought it from a LFS, They had it under 3-400mh 200g tank. I only have 2-250mh 150gallon tank. I started on the rocks for about 1 week then moved it up. its about 4inches under the water, and about 10" from the halides. Is that ok?? Thanks, MAtt

02-21-2003, 03:11 AM	#13
Elmo18 Governor Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: Seattle, WA Posts: 1,514	I got one from Scubadude (aka Rocky) and it was about silver dollar in size frag when i got it. Well now it's starting to vase and getting thicker!! I have it in a low-moderate current area near the top of the tank. - Elmo

02-21-2003, 08:11 AM	#14
kevinpo Moderator Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Spokane Valley WA Posts: 2,460	Here was mine when I got it about the size of a 50 cent piece. Regards, Kevin __________________ SPSguy On - On

02-21-2003, 08:14 AM	#15
kevinpo Moderator Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Spokane Valley WA Posts: 2,460	Here's a picture taken in Jan. this year. I have made several large frags from it also. Regards, Kevin __________________ SPSguy On - On

Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)

02-23-2003, 09:08 PM	#16
mako Just Moved In Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Ozona, Fl Posts: 12	I guess each is different in it's own way. My orange cap. keeps the same color whether placed high or low in the tank. Here is a pic when placed high. I have a few frags, actually smaller colonies, down low and the color is pretty much the same. A great coral! __________________ -Chuck

02-25-2003, 12:30 AM	#17
smpolyp Tenant Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: orlando Posts: 57	Chuck your just a show off. How about a few little nidi's for that piece. Oh and why did you miss the last meeting?

02-25-2003, 01:51 AM	#18
mako Just Moved In Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Ozona, Fl Posts: 12	Who me? No thanks Russell...no nudi's for me. Man, I am pretty paronoid about those things now that I have known some people that have had them. Horrible plight...just horrible. I was getting in the truck getting ready to head to that meeting and the sky let loose. And I mean let loose...it was raining sideways ya know. Just did not realish the though of driving for an hour in that crap. Sorry I missed ya, but count on me for the next one. __________________ -Chuck

03-01-2003, 12:06 PM	#20
smpolyp Tenant Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: orlando Posts: 57	Next moth we get a treat of behind the scene tour of Seaworld. Missing it is punishment enough.

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