Don't use flash when photographing fish!

📌 Ground rules (super important)

🚫 No flash. It startles fish, blows highlights, and reflects off glass.
↕️ Shoot perpendicular to the glass; a tiny angle helps kill glare.
💨 Keep surface ripple minimal for 5–10 min (pause wavemakers/air curtain), but leave filtration/aeration on.

💡 Continuous LED light (panel or lamp), ~10–30 W, 5000–6500 K + a diffuser (paper/tissue/softbox).
🧼 Microfiber cloth + spray bottle (water or 50/50 water–white vinegar) for outer glass.
🧱 Black foam board (11×14″ / A3) to absorb reflections behind you.
🧲 Rubber lens hood (or press phone bezel to glass) to block reflections.
🌀 Small tripod/monopod (optional but helpful).
🔄 Polarizer filter (camera lenses): marginal through glass, but can cut some glare at the right angle.

🧼 Clean outside glass (wipe dry).
🧽 Clean inside pane (algae magnet; avoid bubbles on glass).
⏸️ Pause bubble walls/wave makers 5–10 min (keep filter + airstone running).
🍽️ Lure fish to the front: tiny pinch of food or nori clip where light is best.
🖤 Hang black board behind you (or wear dark clothes) to kill reflections.

🔦 Place LED 12–24″ (30–60 cm) from the glass, ~45° off-axis to your shooting position.
🧻 Diffuse it (tissue/softbox) so scales don’t specularly blow out.
↘️ Aim slightly downward toward the front third of the tank where you’ll focus.
🌗 Dim room lights behind you so the glass acts less like a mirror.

General start:

⏱️ Shutter: 1/250–1/320 s (fast fish: 1/500 s).
🌁 Aperture: f/3.5–5.6 (macro: f/7.1–8).
🧪 ISO: 800–3200 (accept a little noise to avoid blur).
🎯 AF: Continuous (AF-C/AI-Servo), single small point on the eye; burst mode.
⚪ White balance: 6500 K (planted), 10–15 K (reef) or shoot RAW and fix later.
🧲 Stabilize: tripod/monopod or press rubber hood to glass.

Scenario presets:

LED banding fix (if you see stripes): try 1/60, 1/100, 1/120, 1/240 s until it disappears.

👆 Tap the eye → press/hold to AE/AF-lock → drag exposure to −0.3 to −1.0 EV.
🏃 Use burst (hold shutter) or sports mode.
🛠️ Pro/Manual (if available): set 1/250 s, Auto ISO (cap ~1600), WB to 6500 K (planted) or 10–15 K (reef).
🧲 Block reflections: press phone bezel to glass or use a rubber hood.
🌙 Disable Night mode (long exposures blur moving fish).

🔍 Pre-focus on the plane where fish patrol; keep that distance.
🎯 Single-point AF on the eye; fire short bursts as the fish turns 3/4 view.
↔️ Track parallel to the glass to keep the fish in the same focus plane.
🧯 Stop if stressed (darting/clamped fins); resume later. Keep sessions short (10–15 min).

Problem	Cause	Fix
Blurry fish	Shutter too slow	Raise to 1/320–1/500, increase ISO
Milky/hazy shot	Dirty glass/condensation	Re-clean inside/outside; wipe lid underside
Reflections	Room bright / angle wrong	Darken room, black board, slight shooting angle, rubber hood
Harsh hotspots	Undiffused light	Add diffuser, move light back, lower angle
Banding lines	LED PWM	Try 1/60, 1/100, 1/120, 1/240 s
Odd colors	WB mismatch	Set Kelvin (6500K planted / 10–15K reef) or fix in RAW