Examine commensalism among fish species such as shrimp, the neon goby, and moray eels
Some fishes have developed symbiotic, or mutually beneficial, relationships with other fishes or even other marine creatures such as shrimp.
Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.
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Transcript
[Music in]
NARRATOR: There are other fishes that live in burrows, including this goby, which shares its quarters with a shrimp.
In this commensal partnership the shrimp vigorously shovels sand out of the hole, while the goby stands watch, alert for danger.
Many fish have a symbiotic relationship with another type of shrimp, the cleaner.
By dancing and wiggling its antennae, the cleaner shrimp signals that it's ready for a meal.
Fish come and settle quietly to have the parasites cleaned from their skin.
They even raise their gill covers so that the shrimp can clean in the hard-to-reach gills.
These shrimp stake out a rock or other elevated location as a "cleaning station," and often several fish will line up, waiting for their services.
There are even fish that clean other fish.
This small neon goby searches for parasites on the soft skin of the moray eel.
You might be wondering if the goby is in danger of being eaten.
It doesn't seem to be the case in this type of commensal relationship, but the drama of predator and prey is, none the less, a way of life among most fishes.
[Music out]
NARRATOR: There are other fishes that live in burrows, including this goby, which shares its quarters with a shrimp.
In this commensal partnership the shrimp vigorously shovels sand out of the hole, while the goby stands watch, alert for danger.
Many fish have a symbiotic relationship with another type of shrimp, the cleaner.
By dancing and wiggling its antennae, the cleaner shrimp signals that it's ready for a meal.
Fish come and settle quietly to have the parasites cleaned from their skin.
They even raise their gill covers so that the shrimp can clean in the hard-to-reach gills.
These shrimp stake out a rock or other elevated location as a "cleaning station," and often several fish will line up, waiting for their services.
There are even fish that clean other fish.
This small neon goby searches for parasites on the soft skin of the moray eel.
You might be wondering if the goby is in danger of being eaten.
It doesn't seem to be the case in this type of commensal relationship, but the drama of predator and prey is, none the less, a way of life among most fishes.
[Music out]
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