Sea anemones and their relationship with anemonefish

The relationship between the sea anemone and the anemonefish is a charming example of complete cooperation in nature.

Partnership as a perfect system

The sea anemone harms any creature that touches it with its sting. But the anemonefish secretes a protective mucus layer that makes it immune to the sting. In return the fish cleans the anemone and drives predators away from it.

The magic of watching

Seeing a small, colorful anemonefish playing in complete safety in the tentacles of a lethal sea anemone is a scene in which the diver realizes that nature is smarter and more creative than we imagine.

Diversity of partnership relationships in the sea

The sea is full of partnership relationships. The cleaner shrimp that cleans fish larger than itself. Remoras that accompany the shark to pick up its leftovers. Nature invented partnership before humans invented it.

The diver’s lesson

Every creature you see in the sea is part of a network of relationships. Removing it or harming it breaks a link in a long, interwoven chain.

---

The sea is an open book of ecology. Every dive is a new page in it.