What I've observed: The client fish signals its readiness by opening its mouth wide and flaring its gill covers. The cleaner shrimp then dances through all the offered surfaces. They'll even clean the covering over the fish's eyes. When the client fish is ready to move on, it shimmies its whole body, and the cleaner shrimp jumps off. The client moves on to find the things it does eat. These specialized shrimp are not the only creatures offering this service. Many gobies do this all their lives, and some juvenile fish start out as cleaners until they get big enough to predate on other crustaceans.
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Having spent many years, along with my wife Lynn, having underwater photography, I am sure with a little effort, a much superior video could have been used. It is a shame, readers could not have the opportunity to see the brilliant red and white of the cleaner shrimp.
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The fish recognize and value the service, often waiting in a queue for the "next available" shrimp. and can look almost almost ecstatic as they're being cleaned. The shrimp will also clean diver's hands and feet, if offered.
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So, the shrimp signals.
The article neglects to address the obvious next questions:
Does the fish signal back?
If the fish signals "all is safe", does it sometimes eat the shrimp anyway?
Why would a shrimp believe the fish in the first place?
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Cool. Too bad there’s no video of the dance but neat info.
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Am I missing something?
Nothing in the article suggests why the 'subject signal' provides the cleaner shrimp any defense or reason to believe that its leg flashing will occasion any 'ceasefire acceptance' by any potential predator it might be planning to 'service.'
(Predator: "Nice legs" … Gulp)
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@Thomas Murray
The fish signals by becoming as motionless and passive as possible. See vid of goatfish above, some stay active those that want to be clean shut down their activity.
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