13 Dangerous Fish And Sea Animals

Remoras - Annoying but Not Dangerous

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Remoras are large, gray, parasitic fish usually found stuck to the sides of sharks, manta rays, and other large species. Remoras are not dangerous to their hosts. They simply attach to the larger animal and hitch a ride. While attached to a host, remoras snack on scraps of meals and waste matter from the larger creature. In some cases, remoras will clean bacteria and small parasites from the host.

 

Unattached remoras can make themselves obnoxious to divers. Perhaps not the brightest of creatures, remoras seem to attach to anything large and moving. Divers fit into this category. Remoras have been known to attach to a diver's tank or body. As long as the diver is covered by a wetsuit, the remora does no harm. Most encounters with free-swimming remoras are comical, as they mistakenly attempt to suck onto a diver's tank and limbs. However, a remora that attaches directly to a diver's skin may cause a scrape. This is yet another reason to wear a full wetsuit or dive skin.

 

A remora can usually be frightened away by purging a regulator alternate air source in its face.

Barracuda - Generally Not Dangerous

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Scuba diving myths are filled with stories of barracuda attacking divers. This fish looks scary to many divers — it has a mouth full of sharp, protruding teeth and moves at lightning speed. However, barracuda attacks on scuba divers are extremely rare.

 

As with most aquatic life injuries, barracuda attacks are almost always either defensive or mistaken. A human who attempts to spearfish a barracuda and misses or only injures the animal may find him or herself on the receiving end of defensive action. A person who feeds a barracuda or other fish near a barracuda may get nipped accidentally. There are also unconfirmed stories of barracudas mistaking reflective or sparkling objects for prey — such as diamond rings and shiny jewelry. If you leave jewelry on the surface and don't hunt or feed these fish, they should pose no danger.