mandarin fish tough to shoot.

[ConchyJoe]

Using a focus light deters the little buggers from mating.

Red Focus light?

 

[Interceptor121]

hard but can be done

Tips here
Tips for capturing Mating Mandarin Fish | Interceptor121 Underwater Video

 

[Guitarfish64]

I'm kinda relieved to read that it isn't just me that had trouble!


Here are the best of the bunch from 40 minutes worth of fuzzy faces and turning tails...

 

[minishrimp]

These shots were done in Moalboal at an evening dive with my XZ-1 and internal flash. We planned this dive just for the mandarin fish and luckily we found them in some broken coral bits around 3m deep. I remember I waited at the same spot for 15-20mins just to see them come out from their little cave. Glad I got them, they swam fast!

 

[orenbvip]

Here is one I took in Malapascua with an Epl_1. Took forever and this was the best one out of the bunch.

 

[JohnN]

my luck shooting mandarin fish is very bad.. this one from Bujol Bay, northwest Bali. they were mating for awhile and my pics did not come out. night dive pic.

nothing like hanging out for 40 minutes or so in the dark at 25 ft waiting for the mandarin fish to mate.

View attachment 162084

Sorry for the hijack, but where is Bujol Bay? Google Earth / Google Maps isn't finding it for me.