The best kind of symbiosis is called mutualism. This is where both parties get something out of the deal. For example, take this hermit crab. She has a garden of small anemones on her shell that she carries everywhere she goes. The anemones give her protection from predators like octopus because their stinging tentacles pack a punch. But the anemones have a great life living on her shell because they gather some of the scraps from her messy eating, and they travel around with her to the next meal.

 

Since the hermit crab uses an old snail shell for a home, she needs to find a larger shell every once in a while as she grows. When she finds one, it’s as simple as hopping out of the shell and into the new one. But what to do about the anemones? The anemones are so important to the hermit crab the she must also move them to the new shell/ without them, she is defenseless.

 

Sea slugs are known to prey on anemones and what’s really cool is that after they eat, the slug will actually store those stinging cells of the tips of their skin and use them as weapons when under attack. As if the sea anemone wasn’t interesting enough, a compound in their toxin has actually been discovered to increase the strength of heart contractions. Without increasing heart rate or blood pressure, this could have an important therapeutic value for treating something like heart failure.

 

     Well, they may not be plants, summon them in these form a symbiotic relationship with algae, the stinging cells protect the algae from being eaten and as the algae undergoes photosynthesis, it releases sugar which the anemone can use as a food source. Anemones also form a symbiotic relationship with clownfish. The clownfish in the anemone both protect each other from predators and share any leftover food with one another. But don’t let their peaceful appearance deceive you. Anemones are very territorial, if they come into contact with another anemone, they’ll actually fight each other until the loser removes itself and floats away. some anemones have amazing regenerative properties. Take them out of stella for example. If you cut one of these in half, it will regrow into two different animals.

 

 

Incredible footage of hermit crab changing shells with anemones!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dYFALyP2e7U