Holy Batfish, Sea Robin

[Thalassamania]

Batfish may come to Great Barrier Reef's rescue


Experimental cages that excluded herbivores from patches of reef were set out for three years. Algae grew within the cages and threatened the coral. Once the cages were removed a rare batfish, Platax pinnatus, that normally feeds on plankton and invertebrates moved in, rather than the expected herbivores.

Link

 

[erparamedic]

Very interesting... amazing, really!

Thanks for posting that!

 

[marku]

You have to keep in mind that it was a simulated over-fished reef. In real overfished reefs, the chances of there being any batfishes around to munch on algae stands is very, very small.

Get a close look of the algae, doesn't that look like Sargassum?