I was in the right place at the right time on my dives recently. Two file fish were engaged in some complex mating behaviour so I settled down to watch them for ages. Every now and again one of them would swim off and the remaining fish would work on the nest - gathering bits and pieces of weed. I didn't take many shots of the behaviour as I wasn't sure where their comfort zone was and I didn't want to encroach.
Eventually one of the fish wandered off and didn't return after two or three minutes of waiting. All the while the remaining filefish was busy fanning the nest, bringing more stuff to it and generally doing housekeeping. I crept forward over a matter of minutes and he/she didn't seem concerned at all.
Canon 20D, Canon 60mm macro, Subal housing & port, Inon 240 + 220s strobes
Dive site: Secret Spot #2 - 6m; Exmouth Gulf, Ningaloo Reef, Western Australia
Eventually one of the fish wandered off and didn't return after two or three minutes of waiting. All the while the remaining filefish was busy fanning the nest, bringing more stuff to it and generally doing housekeeping. I crept forward over a matter of minutes and he/she didn't seem concerned at all.
Canon 20D, Canon 60mm macro, Subal housing & port, Inon 240 + 220s strobes
Dive site: Secret Spot #2 - 6m; Exmouth Gulf, Ningaloo Reef, Western Australia
