The bizarre color changing scrawled filefish

7 years ago
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The scrawled filefish is one of the most bizarre looking fish on the reef. Like an octopus, it changes color to match its surroundings for camouflage. This serves as protection from predators. Because its diet consists partly of algae and coral, eating the flesh of the filefish can cause ciguatera poisoning. Also very common in barracuda meat, the symptoms of toxicity include headache, muscle ache, nausea, stomach upset and even hallucinations. This scrawled filefish can be seen changing its color dramatically. It is also suspending itself vertically in what appears to be an invitation for smaller damsel fish to 'clean' its body of parasites. These cleaning stations are an interesting example of a symbiotic relationship.

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