Coral from brown to pure white

[minireef]

I have this hard coral, don't know the name.

When I first bought it was brown colour with a pinch of green at the tips.

After a few weeks the whole coral turns pure white.

It looks much healtier than ever.

Is that suppose to be?

[jervismun]

It's Alveopora... the pix you showed us was BEFORE right? Can show a CURRENT pix as well? Looks pretty healthy to me

[minireef]

I've have decom my trail tank, and have it sold off. It looks very long and healthy but pure white in colour.

[surferguy1978]

I've have decom my trail tank, and have it sold off. It looks very long and healthy but pure white in colour.

i think when coral turn to white... it means it is bleaching... not a good sign to me.. i have some GSP which turn totally white but then it is still growing.

[gerrard_boon]

thats a alveo...dun think there white alveo..only possible reason would be bleaching...as 4 y its still doing well...i have no ideas....but i heard b4 bleached corals doing relatively okay b4...so i guess its all luck for bleached corals...

[rogersoh]

When I first bought it was brown colour with a pinch of green at the tips.

After a few weeks the whole coral turns pure white.

Hi,

I have read this article about the coral bleaching at

The Coral Whisperer: Bleaching and Tissue Loss in Corals - What's the Difference? by Eric Borneman

and another at

The science of corals and water flow both from the Advanced Aquarist web site.

I quote a paragraph of the articles:

Coral bleaching occurs when reef-building corals expel their life-giving symbiotic algae which makes them appear stark white. Although coral bleaching is mostly attributed to unusually high water temperatures, other factors such as turbidity and water motion seem to be decisive factors in making bleaching events more or less severe.

Generally when the coral loses their symbiotic algae they will not be as healthy as they can be. I do not have any personal experience in keeping coral but are doing more research and reading about it before I venture into keeping coral. Now I am having Fish only tank.

Hope this help.