One frag suddenly bleaching - others ok?

[karimwassef]

I fragged a thin branch, green polyp acropora and it's been doing great until about a month ago.

Now, the main frag is bleaching but the others still look ok. The main frag was actually growing faster than all the rest.

...

Starting all the way back to fragging day (7/16/2015)
It's middle right on the white epoxy
<a href="http://s1062.photobucket.com/user/karimwassef/media/A3C004E6-2D25-4BC5-A30E-02433CBB2456_zpsktvyo7j2.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1062.photobucket.com/albums/t496/karimwassef/A3C004E6-2D25-4BC5-A30E-02433CBB2456_zpsktvyo7j2.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo A3C004E6-2D25-4BC5-A30E-02433CBB2456_zpsktvyo7j2.jpg"/></a>

Side frag: Mid-photo on white epoxy
<a href="http://s1062.photobucket.com/user/karimwassef/media/5F451060-AB64-44CC-96FF-A8353B59DFE3_zpsyppxm3jp.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1062.photobucket.com/albums/t496/karimwassef/5F451060-AB64-44CC-96FF-A8353B59DFE3_zpsyppxm3jp.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo 5F451060-AB64-44CC-96FF-A8353B59DFE3_zpsyppxm3jp.jpg"/></a>

A month later both frags were thriving (10/3/15)
<a href="http://s1062.photobucket.com/user/karimwassef/media/CB324889-E039-46D0-821A-03E48DD9878B_zpsofggzppr.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1062.photobucket.com/albums/t496/karimwassef/CB324889-E039-46D0-821A-03E48DD9878B_zpsofggzppr.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo CB324889-E039-46D0-821A-03E48DD9878B_zpsofggzppr.jpg"/></a>
<a href="http://s1062.photobucket.com/user/karimwassef/media/DBEF7D27-445A-4E1C-A711-C4AA35EB1524_zps3jwlcali.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1062.photobucket.com/albums/t496/karimwassef/DBEF7D27-445A-4E1C-A711-C4AA35EB1524_zps3jwlcali.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo DBEF7D27-445A-4E1C-A711-C4AA35EB1524_zps3jwlcali.jpg"/></a>


A month later - main frag (11/7/15)
<a href="http://s1062.photobucket.com/user/karimwassef/media/1AD95D8D-C2A0-4F40-89D4-CD1CF85F819A_zpsjjy95c7n.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1062.photobucket.com/albums/t496/karimwassef/1AD95D8D-C2A0-4F40-89D4-CD1CF85F819A_zpsjjy95c7n.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo 1AD95D8D-C2A0-4F40-89D4-CD1CF85F819A_zpsjjy95c7n.jpg"/></a>

And side frags (11/7/15)
<a href="http://s1062.photobucket.com/user/karimwassef/media/51C2AA71-927F-4E10-B043-43823F96525E_zpsry9siocu.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1062.photobucket.com/albums/t496/karimwassef/51C2AA71-927F-4E10-B043-43823F96525E_zpsry9siocu.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo 51C2AA71-927F-4E10-B043-43823F96525E_zpsry9siocu.jpg"/></a>


Here is the main frag on 12/21/15 (6 weeks later) starting to bleach and polyps retracting
<a href="http://s1062.photobucket.com/user/karimwassef/media/F134F7C1-DF56-4349-B0F7-514F26D50109_zpsruxhkkcy.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1062.photobucket.com/albums/t496/karimwassef/F134F7C1-DF56-4349-B0F7-514F26D50109_zpsruxhkkcy.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo F134F7C1-DF56-4349-B0F7-514F26D50109_zpsruxhkkcy.jpg"/></a>

and here are the sides frags on the same day (12/21/15)
<a href="http://s1062.photobucket.com/user/karimwassef/media/800825B2-4D9D-4F30-A7D2-6ED4DDD9A4A3_zpszgz7fdms.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1062.photobucket.com/albums/t496/karimwassef/800825B2-4D9D-4F30-A7D2-6ED4DDD9A4A3_zpszgz7fdms.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo 800825B2-4D9D-4F30-A7D2-6ED4DDD9A4A3_zpszgz7fdms.jpg"/></a>

 

[karimwassef]

Main Frag (~a week ago 1/31/15)
<a href="http://s1062.photobucket.com/user/karimwassef/media/64B3E2FB-4791-4270-9F9B-BE9E570C5170_zpshpth44yh.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1062.photobucket.com/albums/t496/karimwassef/64B3E2FB-4791-4270-9F9B-BE9E570C5170_zpshpth44yh.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo 64B3E2FB-4791-4270-9F9B-BE9E570C5170_zpshpth44yh.jpg"/></a>

Side Frags (1/31/15)
<a href="http://s1062.photobucket.com/user/karimwassef/media/DF74CF5E-C20D-4DED-A546-73959F2177D2_zpsgtfofghv.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1062.photobucket.com/albums/t496/karimwassef/DF74CF5E-C20D-4DED-A546-73959F2177D2_zpsgtfofghv.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo DF74CF5E-C20D-4DED-A546-73959F2177D2_zpsgtfofghv.jpg"/></a>

<a href="http://s1062.photobucket.com/user/karimwassef/media/4EE4B9E0-2F45-4815-A145-4F1CF1E35E7C_zpskxasgcd8.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1062.photobucket.com/albums/t496/karimwassef/4EE4B9E0-2F45-4815-A145-4F1CF1E35E7C_zpskxasgcd8.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo 4EE4B9E0-2F45-4815-A145-4F1CF1E35E7C_zpskxasgcd8.jpg"/></a>

They're all at the same depth, on the same rock, exposed to mostly the same flow. The side frags have actually been under attack by an encroaching rhodactis colony, but they're looking ok. Why is the main frag bleaching?

The earlier pics were more green because I had the LEDs on while taking those pics. I turn those off when taking pictures now.

Anyone have an experience like this? Any idea what's going on? Help

 

[Member No. 1]

From your reply in another thread, are you still running your tank on the warmer side? Just like in nature, look at all the issues the reefs around the world are having with increased temps. Not saying this is the problem as others around the frag are fine, just this particular species might not like warmer temps.

Also, sometimes for no other reason, corals just up and die.

 

[karimwassef]

Yes, but the temperature is the same for all frags.

The water chemistry is the same, lighting is the same, temperature is the same, flow is the same, and the frags are siblings... that is the perplexing part.

 

[A1t2o]

It doesn't look like the main frag bleached. It looks completely dead. I would say it RTN'd. Who knows what caused it, maybe it got stung or infected by something. Could be bacteria, or even pests. Its also possible that it was damaged by something and just couldn't heal. Random corals just die sometimes and it is hard for us to know why. Try to keep a stable environment for them and you should be ok.

Also check parameters and try not to change anything quickly. If you stress the tank, not everything will react the same.

 

[karimwassef]

I keep hope for anything that's not covered in coralline or algae...

It was putting out new branches (see the little ones on the bottom) - then white.

If it didn't have siblings a couple of inches away that were under attack by massive rhodactis mushrooms and gaining, I would have just accepted it.

I sometimes wonder if having it too good could hurt? It seems that the coral being stung was fighting more aggressively to live.