Aggressive Remora ?

[miketsp]

Well my wife and I just had an experience which left us very surprised and completely changed my wife's opinion about carrying a knife - something she always disliked.

We were ending a wreck dive in the north-east of Brazil and we had just come up to the 6m stop and we could observe the DM at the 3m stop above us suddenly getting agitated. We then saw that the cause was a large Remora swimming around her. Our first reaction was - so what? We had often had Remoras accompanying us and they were never a problem. They were just being playful.
Anyway, we completed our 6m stop and started moving up to the 3m stop and the DM went up from the 3m stop to the surface.
The Remora transferred its attention to us and we soon realised that it wasn't just playing, it was really trying to bite us on the lips and other places.
Well we still had 6 minutes of obligatory deco and this fish was being very aggressive.
Fortunately vis was good and we had the shot line to give us a vertical reference so we were able to keep our whole attention on fending off its attacks.
It was a real pain while it lasted.
Finally we completed the stop and as we surfaced it moved off.
Back on the boat we talked to the DM and she confirmed that a few days before, a diver at the same site had been badly bitten in the fold of skin under the arm with a lot of blood loss - apparently by the same fish.
Anyone else had problems with Remoras?

 

[cdiver2]

I have had them attach themselves to me but never a bite or heard of anyone getting a bite from them before.

 

[Jai Bar]

A couple of months ago, diving in Eilat, we spotted a small remore (approximately 40 cm). The remora showed interest in us, swimming a little bit around each of us. Then, apparently it concluded that I am either the largest diver of the group- or the most resembling a shark and headed to me. The remora sticked to me for about 20 minutes or so, most of the time I couldn't see it but I felt through the wetsuit that something is scratching my A*ss, and my buddies were choking with underwater laughter.
At some time, I wanted to see the fish too so I switched to swimming on my back- the remora swithced position too and started scratching in a errr.... more sensitive area . I have cool photo of this event, I'll try to scan and post it later (assuming it is not considered as some sort of bizarre pornography ). After quite a long time the remora realized that we are not such a good host and left us alone..


Anyway, through the wetsuit, I was amazed at the strength of the remora as I could feel something pulling me quite strongly. I can imagine how annoying a remora can be to a large fish like a stingray/manta/shark etc.

 

[miketsp]

..snip..
I couldn't see it but I felt through the wetsuit that something is scratching my A*ss, and my buddies were choking with underwater laughter.
..snip..

Yes I've also had one try to stick to me but the behaviour pattern was quite different. In the case I related it was coming in directly mouth first. When they want to stick to you they swim parallel, mouth away from you and stick with the sucker muscles on top of their head.
Also we felt more unprotected since due to water temp of 30C we were wearing minimal protection. My wife just had a thin lycra skin for protection against coral burns from the wreck.

 

[archman]

Lure them in so that you can deal a nice solid karate chop with your hands. One or two of these and the bigger specimens tend to shy away.

I give up on the little ones.

 

[SueMermaid]

I've had that happen more than once. They're persistent if desperate for a host, and I am told they hurt like h-e-double hockey sticks if they succeed in attaching to you.

 

[Walter]

I have a dive buddy who's been bitten twice by sharksuckers (usually called remoras).

 

[scuba-sass]

I had a remora attach itself to me on a dive in Manihi, French Polynesia. Not at all painfull through my Lycra skin. I just thought someone was bumping me slightly on the thigh, 'till my buddy pointed out the rider.

Scuba-sass

 

[Mako Mark]

I have had one attach it to my bare arm and it is uncomfortable, I believe that most marine hosts are thicker skinned than us..

I was thinking that a remora would make a great dive tattoo.

 

[wedivebc]

Anyway, we completed our 6m stop and started moving up to the 3m stop and the DM went up from the 3m stop to the surface.
The Remora transferred its attention to us and we soon realised that it wasn't just playing, it was really trying to bite us on the lips and other places.
Well we still had 6 minutes of obligatory deco and this fish was being very aggressive.

Nice DM leaving the water while you are fending off an aggressive fish. What's her name?