Clownfish Clownfish live among the stinging tentacles of sea anemones – they are adapted to be immune to the tentacles. These tentacles sting fish that try to eat the clownfish, keeping the clownfish safe! Sea Anemone The anemone is protected from being eaten by the Butterfly Fish by the clownfish. It also gets some food particles while the clownfish is eating, and the clownfish attracts prey for the anemone. Butterflyfish The Butterfly Fish eats sea anemones. Cleaner Shrimp The cleaner shrimp eats particles (sometimes parasites) off the Angelfish and other fish. Angelfish The angelfish is kept free of parasites by the cleaner shrimp. Cleaner Shrimp The cleaner shrimp uses the anemone for protection.

Anemone Provides a safe place for cleaner shrimp to live. Sea Anemone Anemones are food for many fish including the Butterfly Fish. Anemone Anemones use the coral as a substrate to live on. Fish Any reef fish may become the host to isopods, which use them for nutrients. Coral Reef Corals provide “housing” for many creatures including anemones. Isopod The isopod uses fish for nutrients.

Coral Coral Reefs Many coral can survive because they have zooxanthellae to provide the coral with food resulting from photosynthesis. Because of the zooxanthellae’s dependence on light, reef corals require clear water. Grouper Sea Grouper Groupers eat other fish including Butterfly fish. Reef Shark Sharks near a reef rely on large fish like groupers for their nutrition. Zooxanthellae Tiny plant cells called zooxanthellae live within most types of coral polyps. The coral polyps provide the cells with a protected environment and the nutrients they need to carry out photosynthesis. Groupers can range from about a foot long to over a meter. Sharks are one of the few sea creatures they need to worry about eating them! People hunt fish in reefs, they collect small fish for aquariums and they break off pieces of coral for collections.

Butterfly Fish as juveniles are food for many larger fish such as grouper. Butterfly Fish People Humans hunt fish in reefs, they collect small fish for aquariums and they break off pieces of coral for collections.