How Do Fish Stay Clean?

It is hard to think of a fish being dirty. After all, they swim around in water all day long.

So why aren't they always clean? Just like you, fish also need a good cleaning nearly everyday. They don't get dirty from playing in the yard, but do have tiny, tiny animals, known as parasites, living on their skin, scales and inside their mouths. If the parasites are not cleaned away, they quickly multiply until the fish becomes sick.

When you are dirty, you head for the shower. When fish need cleaning, they head for the nearest cleaning station. Cleaning stations are places on the coral reef where special fish or shrimp, known as cleaners, live. Cleaners make their living by picking bacteria and dead skin off fish. Watching fish being cleaned at cleaning stations is another fun thing that fishwatchers do.

Grunts getting cleaned by a spanish hogfish

All of these little fish are waiting with mouths opened in hopes that the young, purple, and golden Spanish Hogfish will clean inside their mouths.

Moray getting a good cleaning

This moray is enjoying a good cleaning by a little cleaner goby busily at work on top of it's head.

Woman's Teeth Being Cleaned by a Shrimp

Now, this is really weird! A lovely young fishwatcher is having her teeth cleaned by a Scarlet Lady Cleaning Shrimp. The next time you go to the dentist ask if they have ever heard of a person getting their teeth cleaned by a shrimp!

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