Diver Meets A Cleaner Shrimp Who Gives Him Teeth Cleanings From Time To Time (Videos)
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 caught her attention. These shrimp are common on the reefs in Hawaii, yet not all of them will interact with people.
However, this particular shrimp and some others were willing to engage with humans. They are called "cleaner shrimp" because of their eagerness to snack on parasites and dead skin from various creatures that come to their "cleaning stations" under the sea.
As a matter of fact, on the day Seligman first showed up, the shrimp had just finished with a client: a moray eel. Fortunately for Seligman, the shrimp clearly had free time in her schedule for him afterward.
After removing his breathing apparatus, Seligman opened his mouth, and the little shrimp swam right in. Her sole objective was to clean his teeth, and as amazing as it was, this wouldn’t be a one-time occurrence.
Over the following weeks and months, whenever Seligman would dive near that spot, he would drop in for a cleaning from the same little accommodating and helpful dental hygienist. Sometimes, he would even bring his friends so that they too could have their teeth cleaned.
Isn't she so colorful...
Seligman says that he dives there about once a week and that it's certainly enjoyable to stop by for a teeth cleaning, particularly with friends who have never done so before. Seligman's visits to the shrimp’s office continued for about a year, and throughout 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 maintaining your dental hygiene. However, it’s unfortunate 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 elsewhere on the reef to continue 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 familiar 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 receive 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.
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