The colorful Banded Coral
Shrimp is a common sight on nearly every Indo-Pacific
ocean reef. Also known as a Cleaner Shrimp or Barber-Pole
Shrimp, it often feeds on the parasites that cooperative
fish or eels allow it to pick off their bodies. I have
witnessed moray eels being cleaned by these fascinating
shrimp, an amazing sight since these inch-long animals
are certainly no match for the predatory jaws and big
appetite of a large eel. The shrimp actually crawl all
over the animals they are cleaning, using their numerous
sets of claws and chelipeds
to dine on a meal of parasites. To the fish or eel, the
shrimp is performing the service of parasite removal, and
in turn the shrimp gets a free meal. Some groups of these
shrimp are known to have "cleaning stations" or
designated places on the reef where several shrimp climb
on a fish that actually seeks out their services. |