Tiny fish swimming around a large white bleached fire coral

Underwater Bleached Corals.

A sprawling, white fire coral extends across the reef in this clip, its fan-like branches completely bleached. Tiny fish weave through the delicate coral structure, creating gentle motion amidst the otherwise still environment. The coral’s stark whiteness contrasts sharply with the muted tones of nearby coral patches, some beginning to lose color as well. The background of the video shot reveals a calm, expansive ocean, with a clear view of the water's gentle gradients of blue that deepen as the scene extends further back. Sunlight faintly penetrates from above, adding soft highlights on the coral branches, emphasizing their skeletal structure.

Free Stock Footage of Bleached Fire Coral Atop of Colorful Corals. 

Captured by professional videographers in stunning 4K (2160p) and available in HD (1080p) resolutions, this free stock footage is available in both landscape (16:9 aspect ratio) and vertical (9:16 aspect ratio) formats, making it versatile for a range of uses, including social media platforms like Instagram Reels, TikTok, Facebook, and YouTube Shorts. The professional clarity and adaptability of this video make it an ideal resource for environmental campaigns, NGO initiatives, documentaries, and educational content focused on coral conservation and the effects of climate change on marine habitats.

Fire coral, recognizable by its branching and yellow-brown color, delivers a mild sting for protection. However, it is highly susceptible to bleaching, which occurs when it loses its symbiotic algae, zooxanthellae, due to stressors like rising ocean temperatures. This bleaching can happen rapidly, often within days or weeks. As oceans warm, bleaching events are more frequent, with fire corals often being the first to show signs of stress, turning stark white. While they can survive short bleaching episodes, repeated stress can lead to degradation and death, affecting the small fish and invertebrates that depend on them for habitat and protection.