OK to confront fish/crabs?

[The Chairman]

STAY AWAY FROM THE DAMSEL FISH​

My left earlobe bears the scar of passing too close to a damsel fish one day. They are to be feared more than Great Whites.

 

[neil]

My name is Sue and I like to tease Damselfish. [hangs head in shame]

Out here in CA, we have the mother of all damselfish, the Garibaldi (hypsypops rubicundus). I've intentionally waved my hand in front of some eggs and actually had the male guarding them grab my hand and give it a few good shakes! Plus, they make a popping sound at you as you swim too close, so they're just asking for it!

Neil

 

[scubasean]

Out here in CA, we have the mother of all damselfish, the Garibaldi (hypsypops rubicundus). I've intentionally waved my hand in front of some eggs and actually had the male guarding them grab my hand and give it a few good shakes! Plus, they make a popping sound at you as you swim too close, so they're just asking for it!

Neil

I've sat fairly still near the bottom off of Catalina and had twenty or so Garibaldi come out and suck on my mask....Quite an interesting sight!

 

[Nay]

I'm with you guys on the Garibaldi. They're evil. They surround my husband in gangs and jump out and snip at him as he swims by. And they get right in your face when you're trying to look at something else.
My DM has had one bite the small area of skin on his temple between his mask and hood.
They're pretty though...

pretty mean!

Otherwise, I'm very much to same way, look closely but don't touch. Should have been a marine biologist.

 

[Zoe83]

I chase fish, i cant help it, its fun, especially the little silver ones like in finding nemo. once i followed a turtle almost out to sea, i didnt realise at the time but it was probably trying to get away i know its bad but i cant stop. i get too excited.

 

[Seriously Deadly]

lol

 

[BacardiSpice]

I don't think all interaction constitutes harrassment...I follow a general no-touch rule regarding pretty much everything (which has been sorely tested - but held! - when approached by mantas). But when finning along minding my own business and confronted by a rather aggro big maroon anemonefish who must have been two metres from her anemone (I had too look around to find it, as I couldn't work out what she was doing out in the open), it was more than human strength could resist not to waggle fingers provocatively in her direction just to whip her up a bit. A bit like the rainbow lorrikeets who come to feed on our balcony and who will give us a nip if they happen to feel like it. I do feel a bit guilty for winding up a fish, though...!