Frustrated with my Doctor

I have great difficulty trying to get a picture of a Doctorfish. Attached are the best I've gotten so far. The fish is fast, but I've gotten good shots of other fast fish. Even when the fish is still the camera seems to focus on anything but the fish. Anybody got some pointers for me?

Photo 1 should not have been a problem to focus as the dark fish is against a light background. Are you using your camera on auto focus, not full time auto focus? I think these prosumer cameras hunt like a dog on full time auto focus.
That is a surgeon fish, correct? it grazes on algae. I have the same problem with Yellow Tangs and Gold-Ring Surgeonfish. I use the zoom and get as close as possible. I focus on the fish with the half way down shutter method while it is grazing, wait for it to turn sideways, then take the photo. Sometimes the fish takes off, sometimes it turns for the photo. Today the Gold-Ring Surgeon turned sideways for me.

Gilligan:

... Are you using your camera on auto focus, not full time auto focus? ...

Click to expand...

Thanks for the help.

My fulltime auto focus is turned off. AF mode is iESP. I've tried AF mode set to spot and it does not seem to help. Focus is set to spot most of the time.

My main concern was that the camera seemed to pick something else to focus on other than the fish. I thought may be the coloration was hard for the camera or something.

I think this is a Doctorfish, I don't know if that is the same as a Surgeon. It is in the tang family. They do graze the algae but are very skittish. They will come toward me but don't like me going toward them. I'll try to employ your method of focus and see if that helps.

Hmm.. maybe a little focus light?? I'm using the little 2AA or AAA led light attaced to the housing (sorry it's all duct taped up or I'd give the model) that is bright enough to lite it up, but doesn't show in the photo.. but your look like natural light so may not be helpful...

ps. also be aware that not all those little UW rated LEDs, stubby lights, are leakproof.
I got one, cheap claiming it's good to 1000' heheh.. flooded the first time out in 60'. It looked cheap so I've got my self to blame, but the other one is like the SQL and sturdy, not a problem .... so far...