SPS bleaching

[Europhyllia]

I got a really nice x-mas tree about 3 months ago. When I first got it the encrusting SPS that made up the top of the rock was a light tan color.
For some reason it quickly changed colors in my tank to bright green. Very pretty. With darker green pattern.
It's still in the same spot but the color seems to be bleaching now. Almost like it's rubbing off.
What is happening?

[hobogato]

is the tissue peeling?

[Europhyllia]

I don't see any peeling (also wouldn't know what that would look like).
I just thought of something:
the longspine urchin likes that rock a lot. Could urchins rasp off the top layer.
It really sort of looks like I scrubbed the rock ever so gently with a brillo pad or something. I'll take a picture.

[Europhyllia]

http://www.dominopads.com/xrock.jpg

[fishypets]

Your powermodule is cooking it. Lower it in your tank asap and keep it there until it recovers. This happens to me often when I get new sps frags, you have to acclimate them slowly to your powerful light.

[Europhyllia]

I considered that but I figured it changed from brown to green under the same light. I did change out a bulb though. Maybe that did it? (not a new bulb -swapped positions of two existing bulbs)

[saabtech]

Maybe that did it.
+1 I have seen that happen.

[hobogato]

i agree, the green was probably the porites coral producing its natural sunscreen proteins to try to protect itself.

[Europhyllia]

oh shucks. I was all proud of myself for turning a brown sps green! lol
it's already fairly low. Do porites want to be in the shade?

[hobogato]

i would put it on the sand bed at least until the encrusting coral recovers. it will likely go brown again.

[Europhyllia]

Thanks. And thanks for naming that coral. So much easier to take care of something if you know what it is! lol
I looked up this interesting info:
http://www.aquariumslife.com/sps-coral/porite-corals-porite/
We just had a full moon and this article says they shed their top layer during times of full moon. Not sure if that applies.
I am just surprised that after several months of being green and doing well it turns white. I figured stuff like that would happen much faster. Poor little porite.

[CoryDude]

Porites just shed a bunch no matter. Mine would do so about every week or so. +1 on keeping it near the bottom half of the tank. They also usually like an area with good flow.

[hobogato]

:lauging: i still crack up every time i see your signature cory

[CoryDude]

I don't see it on my end so I forget it's there Ace. I love it 'cause it gets a laugh out of little kids and my 89 year old granny.

[Europhyllia]

It's still alive!
I moved it in the shade. :)
The parts that were green are still green but other parts have turned fluorescent pink!
Check it out. I am guessing it's the tiny polyps that are the pink parts?
It only turned this way over the last few days.
It happens to sit right next to the new balanos so it's getting quite a bit of the liquid seafan food. Can food change color in porites?
I think it's looking even prettier than when it was bright green.
http://www.dominopads.com/xmasrockpink.jpg

hopefully the pink isn't another sign if doom... ;)

[FireWater]

Looks good Karin. From what I see of the pic, it looks healthy and should love all the food floating in the tank. I have noticed in my tank that corals will change color under the t-5 lighting if I move them around. My Red Planet is a good example - up high and it turns bright red w/ very little green - I put an accidental frag that I made of it about 6" lower and the frag is the exact opposite

[swjim]

Glad it's recovering, that's a really nice looking porites.

[Europhyllia]

I just noticed my title! Guess I had another SPS escape my SPS reduction program... oh well. I am keeping it for the worms ;)