Symbiosis

The term symbiosis commonly describes close and often long-term interactions between different biological species.It can also be defined as the living together of unlike organisms.
I discovered this interesting concept of survival of certain species when I was a teenager on my first snorkeling experience in a coral reef. On my first dive in 15 feet of water, I came across a purple-coloured anemone that was five feet in diameter and there swimming in the center, was a Clown Fish. I couldn’t get over the sight of this six inch clown fish swimming among the poisonous tentacles of the anemone with impunity. While other fish get stung and eaten by anemone, the clown fish had adapted to life in it’s poisonous host.
In later dives, I also discovered tiny striped shrimps that also lived in the anemone.
Through keeping a clown fish and some anemones in my marine tank, and research in the library, I learned more about this symbiotic relationship of the anemone, clown fish and shrimp in depth and discovered the following facts:

The clowns fish developed certain eye diseases when it was kept in a marine aquarium without the anemone.
The anemone would be poisoned by rotting scraps of food wihtout the shrimp cleaning up.
Both the clown fish and the shrimp gets protection from other predators.

What an amazing relationship that is mutually beneficial to all.

We need one another not only to survive, but also to grow and excel in our lives.