Introduction
According to Deloach and Paul, symbiotic relationship refers to the interdepenence between two animals of different species for a long duration of time (7). Symbiotic relationship occurs only when different species are involved in intra-specific relationships (relationships within the same species).They include mutualism, when the two species benefit from each other, parasitism, when one of the species benefits at the expense of the other, commensalism, when only one of the species benefits without harming the other species.
Main body
Cleaner gobies are also called Neon gobies and they are of two species known as Elacatinus and the Gobiosoma. The two species are almost similar in every aspect ranging from theirs looks, behavior and their care requirements. They belong to Kingdom Anamalia, Phylum Chordata, Class Actinopterygii, Order Perciformes and Family Gobiidae (Deloach and Paul 12). Gobies are all small and scaleless. They are found in tropical oceans. Cleaner gobies are easy to take care of and can be kept in aquariums. They take a variety of aquarium foods. They also depend on parasites in the waters. They also clean the ocean by picking the external parasites from them. Neon fishes comes in variety of colours.
Males and females resemble. Statistics show that the females neon gobies are more aggressive than the males in cleaning because the need more foods for spawning. The male and the females do the guarding of the eggs till they hatch which takes place in few days. Cleaner gobies do well intank- raised because spawning takes place in hiding places hence the necessity for aquarists to install PVC (Poly Vinyl Chloride) pipes in the aquariums.
Cleaning station is a place where sea organisms come together for cleaning. The process of cleaning involves removal of internal and external parasites from the body of the animal. This can be done by other creatures such as cleaner shrimp and cleaner fish which include wrasses and gobies (Deloach and Paul 51). When fish needs to be cleaned they often approach a cleaning station and behave in a peculiar way to a cleaner fish suggesting their need to be cleaned and cleary indicate it will not harm it. When the cleaner fish is sure there is no danger, the cleaner fish starts picking the parasites on the skin and the gills of the fish being cleaned. Cleaning stations are located in the reefs of the oceans.
The cleaner fish feeds on materials such as algaeand parasites that may be attached to the larger organisims bodies. The cleaner fish do not harm the body of the organism being cleaned in any way hence mutualism because the two organisms depend on each other.
The cleaner goby has been seen to posses the cleaning habits because they feed on small organisms in the aquaria. The cleaner gobies remove internal and external parasites from large fish. The bigger fish leave the station healthier while the cleaning gobies get their daily meals.The two parties gain from their relationship. The cleaning gobies live in the lower side of the aquarium hiding in the rocks.
The cleaning gobies also feed on the dead skin of the fish being cleaned, tissues and the mucus hence ensuring sustainable health for the marine organisms (Deloach and Paul 42). When the cleaner goby feeds on the algae, it also ensures that there is enough air circulation in the waters which is a benefit to all the other organisms in the water.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the cleaning goby plays a major role in the cleaning station because by feeding on the parasites on the large fish and the algae it ensures condusive enviroment in the water for a healthy living for the marine organisms being cleaned.
Work Cited
Deloach, Ned, and Paul Humann. Reef Fish Behaviour. New York: New World Publications, 1999.