HOW DO CLOWNFISH AND SEA ANEMONES LIVE TOGETHER?

In tropical waters, clownfish have a symbiotic relationship with sea anemones. They live among the anemone’s tentacles, unharmed by its stings but enjoying protection from predators. In turn, the clown-fish seem to protect the anemone from some predators too. They may even lure fish into the anemone’s tentacles, where they can be caught and digested.

Clownfish and sea anemones both live in saltwater habitats. There are numerous species of clownfish, and they come in a variety of colors from orange to black. Their colorful appearance kind of looks like a clown’s face paint, so it’s no wonder they got the name clownfish.

Sea anemones look likes plants, but they’re actually a predatory animal that belongs in the same phylum as coral and jellyfish. They kill their prey with their nematocysts, which are poisonous cells that can be found in the sea anemone’s tentacles. These special cells can be shot out of the sea anemone, thus delivering venom to potential prey.

Although there over 1,000 species of sea anemones, only about 10 species of sea anemones have a symbiotic relationship with clownfish, and not all species of clownfish are compatible with those 10 species of anemone. Certain species of clownfish pair up with certain species of anemone. By now you’re probably wondering how a fish and a sea anemone work together to have a mutualistic relationship.

Picture Credit : Google