Have you been “accepted” by a school of fish, or made a fish friend?

[aquacat8]

My best dives have been when I joined a mixed school of fish freediving and they let me swim along with them like I was a fish too. This has not happened yet on scuba, but on scuba I’ve had a Goliath grouper follow me in a friendly way ( ok, looking for a snack handout, but hey humans do that too). What are your experiences with fish friends?

 

[txgoose]

While snorkling, I once had a tiny remora hang out with me for about an hour. I assume that I was more structure than friend, but I enjoyed it none the less.

 

[aquacat8]

While snorkling, I once had a tiny remora hang out with me for about an hour. I assume that I was more structure than friend, but I enjoyed it none the less.

I don't have any tattoos, but I think a remora tattoo would be cool.

 

[divad]

I had a smaller-than-a-dinner plate size turtle hang out with me for half an hour @ a little coral rock , then swim along side me when I left (like a puppy). I realize it was just using me for protection, but still...........

 

[SNS-Mike]

My wife and I were diving in a Lake on Sunday and had a school of fish follow for a bit. We were taking photos/videos of them, then we swam for a bit, stopped, turned and found them right behind us. That was cool. I assume they were looking for handouts.

 

[aquacat8]

I had a smaller-than-a-dinner plate size turtle hang out with me for half an hour @ a little coral rock , then swim along side me when I left (like a puppy). I realize it was just using me for protection, but still...........

AW that is cute!

 

[Kharon]

Divng in Roatan I had a remora attach to me and stay on till I went up the ladder. If you dive Cliff (Bonaire) at night you will always be accompanied by a school of tarpon who use your light to aid in there hunting.

 

[drbill]

Well, maybe not a school so much but I had an interesting experience with a giant kelpfish. It was a male and guarding its nest in a brown alga. I visited it frequently over about two weeks. If I held my hand out, it would swim over and rest in it and let me gently rub it. I imagine it was a bit "bored" (to anthropomorphize). As for schools, I have dived with a number of them but mostly in tropical destinations. Of course I have joined groups of giant sea bass (Stereolepis gigas) when they are in mating aggregations and had large schools of Pacific barracuda and even bonito swim around me.

And, yes, I had a remora attempt to attach to me in Palau!

 

[scrane]

Not accepted, conditionally tolerated. Sometimes you can position yourself so a school comes to you. Sometimes you can ease yourself into a group. Smooth movements and controlled breathing helps. As soon as a fish thinks you're chasing it the game's up.

I brought up a related subject here in the past and was met by not too serious responses. (No, I don't puke on demand.)
Does anyone have a way (besides Vienna sausages) to attract fish's attention and get them to interact? Lights? Tinsel? Sounds? Artificial lures?

 

[aquacat8]

Not accepted, conditionally tolerated. Sometimes you can position yourself so a school comes to you. Sometimes you can ease yourself into a group. Smooth movements and controlled breathing helps. As soon as a fish thinks you're chasing it the game's up.

I brought up a related subject here in the past and was met by not too serious responses. (No, I don't puke on demand.)
Does anyone have a way (besides Vienna sausages) to attract fish's attention and get them to interact? Lights? Tinsel? Sounds? Artificial lures?

That’s an interesting question! I do think as far as being accepted to the school goes, Free Diving Is better than Scuba, but I wonder how it would be on a rebreather.