Fish Fights

Fish fight. Far from being peaceful, placid animals, many fishes are in fact aggressive and territorial. They don’t fight out of rowdyness or lack of self-control; Taking control of a territory or defeating a competitor for mates is a matter of feeding or starving, or of reproducing or not passing on their genes for these animals. To me as a biologist, observing any fish behavior in the wild is exciting. As a life-long boxing and martial arts fan, I always enjoy watching a good fight. Hence, fish fighting is twice as exciting for me. I hope you share this passion of mine to some degree!

During the last year, I was quite successful (and lucky!) in capturing some fish fighting on film. This encounter between a single Valencienna goby and a couple of its adversaries happened in Siquijor, Philippines:

This happened in Malapascua, in the Cebu province of the Philippines: A school of marine catfish intruded into the territory of a damselfish; the damselfish became very angry and agitated, but was literally punching water when it went for the diffuse mass of tiny fishes which is the catfish school.

And I am VERY excited about this new video of two male superb dragonets fighting; the fight took place in the shallow part of the San Miguel dive site in Dauin, Negros Island, Philippines. I was stunned to see the encounter the first time, and not quick enough to aim my camera at the aktschn. Fortunately, they engaged three more times.

Fishes are complex, intelligent animals. These fights are just another proof of that.