These animals take “opposites attract” to the next level.
The sea anemone offers the clownfish a safe home. In return, the clownfish cleans the anemone, provides nutrients through its waste, and scares off predators. This relationship helps the clownfish avoid the anemone’s stinging tentacles.
The barbel fish provides free dental and skin care, cleaning the hippo’s hide and teeth and removing parasites in the process. In turn, the fish receives vital nutrients from this cleaning service.
Ants and aphids survive on plant stalks by lending each other a helping hand. The ants guard aphids against predators. Meanwhile, the aphids extract food from the plant, producing a sugary waste called “honeydew” for the ants to eat.
This provides them protection from predators. Meanwhile, remora cleans parasites from the manta ray’s skin.
Some cattle birds, like the tyrant (also known as “cleaner birds”), catch pesky horseflies bothering the capybara. The tyrant also gets a nice perch on the capybara’s back, which they use to their advantage when hunting.
Some narrow-mouthed frogs eat ants that would threaten the eggs of large spiders, including tarantulas. The frogs get nourishment, and in turn, the spider’s babies are protected.
Various types of jellyfish, from the fried egg jellyfish to the purple-striped jellyfish, have been seen hosting cancer crabs.
These crabs may start off as pests but end up helping the jellyfish by eating parasitic crustaceans that would otherwise damage it.