10 Amazing Animal Behavior Shots from our 2017 Underwater Photo Contest

Judging the Through Your Lens photo contest is one of our favorite parts of the year at Scuba Diving — but it’s also one of the most challenging. For the 2017 contest, we sifted through more than 2,500 awesome entries to find the best of the best in underwater photography. We wanted to highlight some of our favorite images that didn’t make the winner’s circle, but that blew us away nonetheless. Animal behavior photos capture the intricacies of marine interaction in ways that are seldom seen. Here are our favorite behavior shots from the 2017 contest.

See the 2017 winners here. The 2018 Through Your Lens photo contest is currently accepting entries. Learn more about the image categories and prizes here.

moray eel cleaner shrimp mutualism symbiosis

Moray eel cleaner shrimp mutualism symbiosis

Martyn Guess

Cleaner shrimp and moray eels have a mutualistic relationship, meaning both species benefit from their interactions. The shrimp clean parasites and algaes off the eels while getting a free meal — everyone wins!

male cardinal fish mouthbrooder incubate babies in mouth

Male cardinal fish mouthbrooder incubate babies in mouth

Paolo Bausani

Male cardinal fish are mouthbrooders, meaning they incubate their babies by carrying them in their mouths for weeks.

porcelain anemone crab symbiosis mutualistic

Porcelain anemone crab symbiosis mutualistic

Valerie Cornet

Porcelain anemone crabs have a mutualistic relationship with anemones — the crabs chase predators away from the anemones, and the anemones provide shelter for the crabs.

Lumpsucker toads netherlands mating

Luc Rooman

In early spring, the lumpsucker toads come to shallow water in the Oosterschelde, Netherlands, to mate.

Painted frogfish lure

Daniel Geary

Painted frogfish use their lures to attract prey. If bitten off the lure will grow back.

Coral grouper cleaner shrimp mutualism

Jordi Benitez

Coral grouper are another species that has a mutualistic relationship with cleaner shrimp.

Emperor shrimp on nudibranch mutualism

Rafael Cosme

Emperor shrimp can be found on several species of nudibranchs. Their mutualistic relationship benefits the nudibranch by shrimp offering protection from predators, and the shrimp by eating parasites on the nudibranchs.