Rules about touching the marine life

[Paco]

On the reefs, I never touch anything. Period.

 

[kabluton]

Yesterday OE2X and I harassed a cabezon until it was frantic. I was taking pictures from one side and OE2X was taking pictures from the other. The cabby didn't know which way to turn. It was great... payback!

Normally I would never want to stress a critter but at this *un-named* dive site the cabezon are particularly agressive and well... "He needed killin', officer." Though in this case we didn't kill him.. we just shot him a bunch of times.

What is a Cabezon? Is that another name for a scorpionfish?

 

[JoeFL]

I agree! Getting those little buggers to nip at you is a blast.

Damselfish are irresistable. Most aggressive little fish I've ever seen... and the only fish that's ever bitten me on a dive (I was begging for it though). I'm glad they don't get bigger. LOL

 

[H2Andy]

... and the only fish that's ever bitten me on a dive

me too. in my case, it was wholy unprovoked

it did startle me

 

[redacted]

I agree! Getting those little buggers to nip at you is a blast.

Do you think there is any stress involved in this for the fish? Perhaps divers who are really serious about not stressing wildlife shoud avoid areas inhabited by such species.

I try not to harm the environment but but don't mind the occasional harmless interaction.

Edit: it was just one word!

 

[Corigan]

I try to harm the environment but but don't mind the occasional harmless interaction.

:11: Heh..

Matt

 

[kabluton]

Do you think there is any stress involved in this for the fish? Perhaps divers who are really serious about not stressing wildlife shoud avoid areas inhabited by such species.

I try not to harm the environment but but don't mind the occasional harmless interaction.

Edit: it was just one word!

Most of the time they come after you. The first time it happened to me I was checking out the plane wreck in Cozumel (La Ceiba) and all of a sudden something nipped me. Actually kind of startled me because I had no idea what it was. Imagine my surprise when I figured out it was this little tiny damselfish. I couldn't help but laugh into my reg at the sheer bravery of this little guy. rofile:

 

[fdog]

Hey...I'm a no-touch kind of guy, but, to put things in perspective:

I'm walking through a wilderness preserve. The redwood tree has interesting bark, so I go over and touch it. And the same for that frond of a fern. I've heard that there's spores on the bottoms of the fern fronds, so I turn it over to look. Oh, cool, look at the catapillar...he's crawling toward my hand! I'll just let him hop aboard my finger. Now that he's there, I need a closer look...how cool is the way he walks...OK, here you go, little buddy, back on the fern leaf for ya...

Just food for thought.

All the best, James


Sheesh! Stop shooting! See the first line above!

 

[H2Andy]

yeah... but the difference is that touching underwater can kill those things
you touch (coral, for example, or fish who depend on their slime coats to survive)

 

[Damselfish]

I think there are a few things ok to touch if you know what you're doing - but puffing puffers and passing around octopi is way not ok in my book. (Now if an octopus decides to play with you, which I've seen happen once, well that was it's choice.)