I should have added more on Mandarinfish, especially since routine sightings is one of the things that Malapascua is known for. I only made it out one time for the Mandarinfish... the other night dives I made there at Lighthouse Reef it was full dark when we arrived and was too late.

On the Mandarinfish dive that I made there were boats already there from other dive shops when we arrived. Everyone had taken up stations in the area that they came out in. As my guide and I swam around looking for a spot, I saw one and pointed. We took up positions, but the fish was staying down in the coral and I couldn't get a good shot.

My guide signaled me to turn off the modeling light on my strobe. He then held a flashlight, shining it through his fingers to reduce the amount of light. It was right at dusk, and we were less than 20 feet down, so we still had some ambient light. Just enough to frame the pictures, kind of.... :-)

The male which is twice the size of the female would move in and cover the female. They would swim around for a few moments together, then seperate.... then come together again. I got pictures, but not a single sharp one :-( That is an ongoing problem with my camera, getting it to focus in low light.

This went on for maybe five minutes then it was over... full darkness had arrived (we had just made it). I had already made three dives that day and barely made it back in time from the last one to get there in time for the Mandarinfish.

The Mandarinfish is a very colorful fish and apparently not so easy to find in other places. Definitely another highlight of the trip :-)