The anemone receives protection from polyp-eating fish, like Butterfly Fish, which the Clown Fish chases away. The anemone also gets fertilizer from the feces of the Clownfish. The Clown Fish are protected from predator fish by the stinging tentacles of the anemone.

Question

Who benefits?
Who is harmed?
Who is neutral?
What relationship is this?

Answer 1

In the scenario you described, the relationships can be analyzed as follows:

Who benefits?

• Both the Clownfish and the anemone benefit from this relationship. The anemone receives protection from polyp-eating fish due to the presence of Clownfish, and it also gains nutrients from the feces of the Clownfish. The Clownfish, in turn, are protected from predators by the anemone's stinging tentacles.

Who is harmed?

• The predator fish that would typically eat Clownfish are harmed indirectly as they are deterred from the area due to the presence of the anemone and the Clownfish. However, they do not experience direct harm from the relationship, just a loss of their food source.

Who is neutral?

• The Butterfly Fish may be considered neutral in this context as their role is mainly as a threat to the anemone. They are neither benefiting from the relationship nor directly involved in it, aside from being deterred by the Clownfish.

What relationship is this?

• This is an example of a mutualistic symbiotic relationship, where both the Clownfish and the anemone benefit from each other's presence. The Clownfish gains protection and the anemone receives nutrients and protection from predators.