Which critters do I really need to be careful for?

OK, so I know there are a number of undersea creatures that can be dangerous if brushed against or provoked and I know the quick answer to my question is "leave them alone and they're not dangerous".

But, often I'd like to get a better picture still which means I have to get closer still. I'm sure in most cases this would be fairly safe but I'd like to know which creatures I should rather not approach too closely.

I remember one dive for instance where I was trying to get a nice picture of a Blotched Fantail Ray. I was trying to get as low as I could and get a eye-to-eye shot so to speak. The next moment another diver yanks my cylinder from behind, literally pulling me away from the Ray and then vigorously giving me the "danger" hand signal. Now I know that Rays have stingers and that Steve Irwin was even killed by one but seriously, was I really in any danger being within 1m of the Ray and on eye level? Somehow I don't think so but then I have to make sure, hence this thread.

Obviously I'm not going to try for a shot of a Great White Shark's tonsils but I'm more thinking of all these seemingly innocent (but venomous) creatures like Rays, Lionfish, Scorpionfish etc.

In short, from a photographer's point of view, which creatures are unsafe to approach?

Just a quick comment, I personally believe anyway that the Scorpionfish or Ray that you're not aware of and against which you may possibly brush is much more dangerous than the one you have in plain view and trying to photograph.

As you said, much of the sea life can either sting, bite or otherwise make it painful to touch. Fireworms or Bristleworms are extremely dangerous, you can get close, but definately don't touch. Never touch corals because you are harming them, although fire coral makes you remember in a painful way. A Manta Shrimp can really hurt you as well. I would bet that the diver that pulled you away from the ray was being overly cautious, but better safe than sorry. I have normally only approached rays from the side to get a picture. I think the picture is better anyway from the side. If you do get a ray spine injury, never pull it out. Let a Doctor do that. Steve Irwin likely died because he pulled it out, although he was gravely injured anyway. Trigger Fish can bite, not just a little, they take chunks.

Be cautious, don't touch, and enjoy.

My suggestion would be to not approach anything to close that can bite you and leave a mark.

Sharks and rays in the sand are usually pretty okay with a slow approach from the front and not from above. In other words, leave them an easy exit and they will take it if you are too close, usually making a photogenic u-turn with sand flowing off their backs, in the case of stingrays. I have edged my way to within a meter or so of whitetips sharks, leopard sharks, lots of stingrays, and a guitarfish using this technique. The cautions against mantis shrimp and triggerfish are well-advised--I use my camera as a shield, but everything down there is faster than you.

Thanks, good answer. I am still curious though which creatures are dangerous, not just to the touch, but in that they will attack (read "defend") if you come too close? Sure, a fire coral will let you know about it if you touch it but you can come as close as you want without touching, it's not going to lash out at you because you came too close. I'm not sure if Rays or Scorpionfish will though.

As a matter of interest, here is the picture that I was working on when I got "rescued". As you can see the framing is not good but I reckon it could have been a good picture if I had the opportunity to finish it.


Let me put my question this way, if you were facing a Ray from this sort of angle and at this sort of proximity, would you feel that you are in danger? Are there any other creatures with which you would have felt to be in danger if you were very close to it (but not touching it), in other words, creatures that would come at you for being too close?

*EDIT* I see there have been two more responses in the time it took me to type this message. Thanks for those. This message was intended as a response top the first reply but still, if you feel like answering, go ahead.

There are many 'diving safety' books written and many cover marine life in detail. Often these books are regional so they cover the species most likely to be encountered in the region.

I remember when I took NAUI Rescue, I had to write a paper (almost a thesis) on marine injuries and treatment. Most of the paper dealt with regional marine life like stone fish, lion fish, rays, coral, etc.

My personal philosophy? Don't touch anything! We're just visitors and it's best not to wear out our welcome.

As to the ray? That's about as close as I would come and I would move very slow. If I was using flash, I would expect things to get very interesting about the time I snapped the photo.

Richard

Deefstes:

Let me put my question this way, if you were facing a Ray from this sort of angle and at this sort of proximity, would you feel that you are in danger? Are there any other creatures with which you would have felt to be in danger if you were very close to it (but not touching it), in other words, creatures that would come at you for being too close?

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I would be comfortable shooting a ray from this angle and have many times (with flash too, does not seem to bother them unduly). Occasionally there are 2-3m stingrays where I dive and they will swim very close and sometimes over the top of me. I have only ever encountered one aggressive stingray out of the many I have seen and even then it was easy enough to avoid it even though it was night time in poor viz.

Locally I avoid getting too close to the following:
Blue-Ring Octopuses. These will kill you very quickly if you are bitten. They are usually shy but I have had one launch itself face hugger style at me. Scared the crap out of me and I wacked it away with my torch.


Ok well these are not dangerous but I have been bitten all over by these fish and I hate it so I avoid them. My buddy often shooes them into me though as he likes to see my reaction. A Scalyfin Damselfish


Numbfish. These will give you a shock if you touch them and can even knock you out.


Wobbegong sharks - usually pretty placid but can bite you if you knock into them or provoke them in other ways. Once they bite they do not let go and there have been attacks on divers, surfers, snorkelers, spearfishers, etc. If you get bitten, to get them to open their mouths you cover their gills with your hands.


Anyway, if you are ever in the south of Australia, be wary of those things There are other things to avoid such as certain types of jellyfish, and it is best not to touch any fish as things such as Old Wives have poisonous spines and so on.

Saspotato:

...I have had one launch itself face hugger style at me.

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Holy roly poly! That would put the bejeepers into me!

If I may give the tree-hugger, yoghurt-chugging, socks-with-sandals point of view...

Whether a bite or sting is dangerous or not, if you are close enough to any creature that it will try to bite or sting you, you are probably so close that you are scaring the bejeepers out of it and therefore disturbing it mightily. Try to stay far enough away from them that they are not provoked into action, for their sakes if not for yours

Deefstes:

As a matter of interest, here is the picture that I was working on when I got "rescued". As you can see the framing is not good but I reckon it could have been a good picture if I had the opportunity to finish it.

Let me put my question this way, if you were facing a Ray from this sort of angle and at this sort of proximity, would you feel that you are in danger?

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No, I would not. The rule of thumb is use common sense ... approach cautiously, leave a means for the animal to "escape" if it chooses, and if it shows any sign of stress or agitation, back off.

I've gotten a few decent shots using these guidelines ...







Strangely enough, the only time I've ever been bitten was by these little bastards ... they're evil ...



... Bob (Grateful Diver)