Mandarin Mating

[Dan]

Dove in Lighthouse, Malapascua, Philippines, in December, 2022 and saw this cool Mandarin fish mating rituals at dusk.

 

[Searcaigh]

Excellent footage @Dan

 

[Lorenzoid]

Yes, nice photography. I saw (or almost saw) this event once. More accurately, I didn't see very much because each time the mandarinfish would rise out of the coral head, several photographers' strobes would go off at once and blind me. If video lights don't disturb the fish, then I think video is a better way to go than still photography with big strobes.

 

[Dan]

Yes, nice photography. I saw (or almost saw) this event once. More accurately, I didn't see very much because each time the mandarinfish would rise out of the coral head, several photographers' strobes would go off at once and blind me. If video lights don't disturb the fish, then I think video is a better way to go than still photography with big strobes.

Thanks!

My first experience was similar like yours. This time, however, everyone in the group had no big camera with strobes and only DM use flashlight (torch) and turned it on at the right moment, when the pair of Mandarin fish rising up and ready to spawn. If DM turned the flashlight a second too soon, the fish just canceled the ritual and dashed back down into the coral head (happened several times, before the right moment proceeding).

We were there for about 15 minutes, about 8 divers hovering over the coral head, in two layer formation of divers with 2nd layer of 3 divers hovering above the first layer of 5 divers, like football players piling on a fumbling football. Luckily everyone had good buoyancy.

 

[Carlos Diver]

Looking forward to your review. Looks like a great trip.