Diver Meets A Cleaner Shrimp Who Gives Him Teeth Cleanings From Time To Time (Videos)

It’s an amazing method for keeping up with your dental hygiene.

Maryjane

• Published in Animals
• April 27, 2022

On a certain day, while diving along a reef on the shore of Hawaii, Patrick Seligman met an unexpected friend. A colorful shrimp was there, settled securely in the nook of a rock.

To be specific, it was a Pacific cleaner shrimp, and as Seligman drew nearer, he grabbed her attention. These shrimp are normal on the reefs in Hawaii, yet not every one of them will interact with people.

But this specific shrimp and some others were willing to interact with humans. They are named "cleaner shrimp" because of their eagerness to snack on parasites and dead skin off of different creatures who come to their "cleaning stations" under the sea.

As a matter of fact, the day Seligman first showed up, the shrimp had just wrapped up with a client: a meeting eel. Fortunately for Seligman, the shrimp obviously had free space in her schedule for him after that.

After removing his breathing apparatus, Seligman opened his mouth and the little shrimp swam right in. Her sole objective was to get at his teeth, and as amazing as it was, this won’t be a one-time thing.

Over the following weeks and months, whenever Seligman would go diving close to that spot, he would drop in for a clean-up from the same little accommodating and helpful dental hygienist. In some cases, he would even come with his friends so that they too could have their teeth cleaned up.

Isn't she so colorful...

Seligman says that he dives there about once a week, and that it's most certainly enjoyable to stop there for teeth cleaning, particularly with friends who have never done so before. Seligman's visits to the shrimp’s office went on for about a year, and all through that year, Seligman's teeth had never been better.

Watch the video below

Seligman believes that regular visits to your nearby cleaner shrimp are an incredible method for keeping up with your dental cleanliness. However, it’s sad that it couldn't last forever.

The eel is having its cleaning session

After a strong storm, Seligman went for a dive and stopped to visit his friend's cleaning station, only to discover her absence. She might have possibly moved somewhere else on the reef to establish her cleaning profession.

The diver goes for a second teeth clean up

However, while Seligman's cleaning routine appears to have come to an end, his warm feelings for the shrimp, wherever she may be, have not faded a bit. Seligman says that the shrimp certainly feels like a recognizable friend. He also added that it is fun to take advantage of a naturally occurring symbiotic relationship.

The cleaner shrimp

It’s not every day we get to see someone (or, in this case, a shrimp) who is willing to offer us a free service that is beneficial to us. And when we get such great service, we can’t help but go back for more, which is what this diver did.

What are your thoughts about this cleaner shrimp? If you could, would you love to book an appointment with the cleaner shrimp?

Drop your replies below.

Maryjane