School of chromis fish swimming over bleached Acropora and Porites corals

Coral in Crisis: Up Close with Bleached Reefs.

A dense school of chromis fish glides over a sprawling patch of bleached Acropora and Porites corals in this underwater footage. The Acropora corals have branching structures and appear faded and white, while the Porites corals add variety with their bulbous, knobby forms, also affected by bleaching. This layered reefscape, dotted with different coral types, stretches along the rocky surface, showing patches of brown and muted greens amidst the bleached sections. The small, dark Chromis fish move in synchrony, bringing motion and life to an otherwise still coral scene. This video clip captures the resilience of marine life, as the school of chromis continues to thrive in a reef environment marked by bleaching. 

Fish, Bleached Corals, And Clear Ocean Water on an Exclusive Stock Video.

This striking footage provides a powerful illustration of how coral bleaching affects entire marine ecosystems. Filmed in high-definition 4K (2160p) and HD (1080p) resolutions, this free stock footage showcases rich detail and is available in both landscape (16:9 aspect ratio) and vertical (9:16 aspect ratio) formats. Its clarity and flexibility make it ideal for use on platforms like Instagram Reels, Facebook, TikTok, and YouTube Shorts, as well as in documentaries, environmental campaigns, NGO projects, and educational content focused on coral conservation and ecosystem health.

Coral bleaching, triggered by factors such as rising ocean temperatures and pollution, doesn’t just affect individual coral colonies—it impacts entire reef ecosystems. Corals like Acropora and Porites are essential building blocks of reefs, providing shelter, food, and breeding grounds for a vast array of marine species. When these corals bleach and lose their symbiotic algae, they are left weakened and more susceptible to disease and death. The loss of these corals disrupts the entire reef structure, reducing the availability of shelter for reef fish, crustaceans, and other marine organisms. Fish like chromis, which rely on healthy coral to hide from predators and spawn, are forced to relocate, increasing competition for resources in nearby habitats.