The ocean is a pretty big and scary place. With the majority of Earth being covered by water, who knows what's out there? How do you protect yourself from these potentially huge and scary creatures? Well, many organisms that call the ocean home have developed amazing camouflage, learned how to travel in schools, developed toxins, and use their size to fend off predators. I know from first hand experience how some of these creatures protect themselves, and let's just say it's not pretty.
Some of the cutest and most interesting fish are barely spotted by the average person while snorkeling or diving: flounder. With both of their eyes on one side of their body, these little guys spend their days blending in flat against the ocean floor. They're able to adapt their coloring to match the sand that they're currently burying in, making them nearly invisible to their predators, as well as their prey when they're hunting. This camouflage is a result of the flounders vision and hormones that they have; if they aren't able to see their surroundings, then they aren't able to blend in. But look a little closer at the sea floor next time, and you might see two eyes looking right at you.
Flounder in Antigua, Meghan Pentak
Many fish have learned that swimming in large groups, known as schools, helps protect them from predators. By staying in a large group, it makes it harder for a predator to single out a certain fish and chase it. When alone, a single fish is much easier to catch and make into dinner. Schooling fish also have an easier job during their own hunts; with strength in numbers, they can search more efficiently. This also applies to defending their territory- the bigger they seem, the more likely other fish won't mess with them. These reasons are why many types of fish tend to swim in schools.
School of Sergeant Majors in Florida Keys, Meghan Pentak
Many different creatures of the sea utilize poison as a form of defense. Whether it be a tiny little anemone or large stingrays, these guys are able to protect themselves pretty well… So you'll probably want to avoid them if you see them. Although not always poisonous to humans, anemones can pack a punch to their predators, which are mainly fish and crustaceans. This neurotoxin stuns the organism that disturbs the anemone, and it's pulled into its mouth for digestion. Another type of sea creature that contains toxins is the stingray. This sea creature has poisonous barbs on its tail, which it utilizes as a defense mechanism. Although not usually a big threat to humans, this venom can be lethal if the barb penetrates a critical area of the body (rest in peace, Steve Irwin). Sea urchins also have spiny structures laced with venom that they use as a form of self defense. These stings occur as the spines or pedicellarines penetrate the skin and toxins are released. When stuck with their spines, humans usually experience severe pain and discomfort. And now onto one of my favorite little poisonous guys, or in my case gal: the spotted boxfish. I can't get over how cute they are- their little white polka dots and happy demeanor make them so adorable. But if they feel threatened or die they're not as cute… They emit toxins. More specifically, ostracitoxin. If emitted in a confined aquarium, it will most likely kill off any other organisms in it as well as themselves, as it's highly toxic. Thank goodness mine is the happiest fish ever.
Pink tip anemone in Antigua, Meghan Pentak
Stingray in Antigua, Meghan Pentak
Sea urchins in Mexico, Meghan Pentak
My boxfish: Lumpy, Meghan Pentak
Another way to fend off larger predators is simply through size. Yes, I know super big sea creatures like sharks and whales have this form of defense, but so do some of the smaller guys. For example: pufferfish. Most pufferfish aren't that small, but they aren't that big either when you compare them to other fish in the ocean. But they are able to "puff up" when threatened by a predator. By inhaling a large amount of water, these fish are able to double in size, which usually fends off their predators as they don't want to deal with a larger fish. Along with puffing up, many types of pufferfish also have spikes that stick out when they inflate. These spikes add another form of protection, as many are also poisonous. This toxin is deadly to those who consume pufferfish, including humans. In the many years of having these types of fish, I've only seen one of them puff up. This happened when we were transferring him to a bigger tank, which he was apparently not happy about. He blew up to the size of a cantaloupe, and it was one of the funniest things ever. But don't worry, this act of puffing up doesn't cause much harm to the fish unless they fill up with air, in which they usually die.
My pufferfish: Mrs. Puff, Meghan Pentak
My pufferfish with spines: Gilligan, Meghan Pentak
And finally, the ugliest form of self defense: expelling your internal organs and chemicals. Yeah, it's as disgusting as it sounds. Sea cucumbers are known to do this under high amounts of stress, and somehow I caused this to my little guy. Not only did he kill himself, but he wiped out all his tank mates in the process… Sorry, guys. When I noticed what happened, I had no idea what it was at first. All you could see was stringy, sticky goop coming out of my sea cucumber. It was disgusting. I was warned that this might happen, but I didn't think it actually would. Sea cucumbers are also able to eject just their organs, which they are able to regenerate; they can also get rid of all the water in their bodies, leaving them as small, hard things. So they don't die every time they do something weird like this. Why my guy committed suicide instead of just making a statement? I don't know. I just knew I was never getting a sea cucumber again.
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