tentacles. Most fish stay away from anemones to avoid being stung. However, the
clownfish makes its home among the sea anemones. It does not get stung because
its body is protected by a special coating. Living among the deadly tentacles of an
anemone has a clear advantage—most predators stay away! Another benefit for the
clownfish is that it is able to eat the anemone’s leftover bits of food. But what is the
advantage to the anemone? There are several. First, the brightly colored clownfish
attracts predators. When the clownfish swims under the anemone’s tentacles to
safety, if the predator follows, the anemone has the chance to sting and eat it. Other
services the clownfish performs are cleaning up food scraps and dead anemone
tentacles, and chasing away fish that might eat the anemone.
While many symbiotic pairs may at first look like odd partners, the benefits they provide one another are invaluable,
and may make the difference between life and death. In fact, it is often these animals’ very differences that make
them perfect partners