Batfish

Photo: Albert Kang · CC BY-NC

Large circular batfish aggregate in loose schools around the Akitsushima's highest points, feeding on jellyfish, algae, and small invertebrates in the mid-water column above the wreck. Juveniles mimic dead leaves drifting in the current as a predator-avoidance strategy, while adults grow bold and approach divers with curiosity. Their grazing on algae helps keep encrusting growth in check on the wreck's upper surfaces.