Ecological relationships

Question

A clownfish lives among the stinging tentacles of a sea anemone, protected from predators that cannot tolerate the anemone’s sting. The clownfish chases away certain anemone eating fish that can damage or kill the anemone. 

What type of ecological relationship (competition, mutualism, parasitism, commensalism, or predation) exists between the clownfish and the anemone? Explain.

Answer 1

This is called mutualism. Mutualism is an interaction between two species where both species get a net benefit from each other. The Clownfish gets protection from predators by residing within the stinging tentacles from the sea anemone. The clownfish chases away potential harms and predators to the sea anemone, keeping the anemone safer. Because they help each other survive and both species derive a net benefit (survival and protection from predators), this is mutualism.