The white spotted rabbitfish Siganus canaliculatus. Images taken from remote underwater video cameras.

Only with remote digital videos were researchers able to discover which fishes removed algae from the reef.

These grainy images reveal the shy white spotted rabbitfish feeding on Sargassum. With reefs under threat from encroaching algae these rabbitfishes may hold the key to reef regeneration.

With experimental algae held in place by pegs the shy white spotted rabbitfish Siganus canaliculatus move in for the feast.

Free copyright is granted for use of these images in conjunction with ARC Centre of Excellence news stories