![]() Cleaner Wrasse & Cleaner Shrimps run cleaning stations which other fish visit to have parasties removed, avoiding the tempatation to have a snack while they are visiting as the service is so worthwhile. Small fish that provide vital cleaning services are valued so highly by potential predators that they are almost immune to attack. Some fish manage to survive simply by being indispensible. Pilotfish use the same tactic with many species of Shark and Shrimps often live happily in the lair of a Giant Moray, safe in the knowledge that their services are just too useful to their host to ever be considered prey. The Remoras keep these giants free of parasites and in return, they get a free ride and a big scary friend to ward off predators. Many large fish, such as Manta Rays, Sharks & Whalesharks have Remoras in attendance. Some enterprising fish simply make friends with a bigger fish, offering cleaning services in exchange for protection. If he senses danger, a flick of his tail will warn the Shrimp and they will both dart into the den lovingly prepared by the blind shrimp until the danger is passed. ![]() The Goby stands on alert in case of a predator, his tail always in contact with his blind housekeeper. Luckily for him though, he is a very good housekeeper, which is something that is very important to his Goby Guard. The shrimp is blind, so he cannot see a predator approach. A classic example is the partnership between a Shrimp and a Goby. Sometimes, entirely different species work together to avoid becoming prey. Clever hunters, such as Dolphins, can easily defeat this approach, but it still provides successful protection against many would-be predators. This strength in numbers tactic is used by many fish, from Glassfish and many other kinds of Baitfish to Snappers & huge schools of Sardines. A seething mass of constantly moving fish has a tendency to confuse predators and thousands of flashing silvery tails can temporarily dazzle the attacker so that they make a blind & badly judged lunge. Lost within a school of thousands, you would need to be very unlucky to be singled out for lunch. It may seem a slightly misguided tactic - bringing attention to yourself by gathering in a large group, but strength in numbers is not such a bad thing. Wishing you a safe and happy hard-water fishing season.Many smaller fish gather in schools for protection. If you have any doubt whether the fish will survive release, plan to keep it as part of your allowable catch. In sub-zero weather, when water can freeze in seconds, it is important to protect a fish’s sensitive eyes and gill filaments. If possible, avoid exposing those parts to the freezing air by unhooking and releasing your fish in the water, or releasing your fish headfirst into the hole. If a fish is so big that you need to bring it out of the water in order to turn it around, or if you want to take its photo, try to keep it out of the water for as little time as possible. While the risks associated with releasing fish during summer’s warm water temperatures no longer exist, freezing temperatures can still impact the survival rates of fish that are released through holes in the ice. In general, many of the proper fish-handling tips that we covered in our article from this past summer still apply. DecemDon’t Freeze their Eyeballs and Gillsįor those fortunate to live in the parts of British Columbia where lakes freeze over every December, ice-fishing with friends and family is a great winter activity.
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