Asian Diver (English)

Feeding

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Once the cleaning is done, a fish has to eat. Muck diving provides a fascinatin­g a glimpse into the hunting and feeding methods of marine life. I was hovering just above the sand during a dive, observing a pipefish closely, as it moved slowly towards teeny-tiny larval fish. Of course, every time it got closer, the fish moved slightly further away, which continued until the pipefish suddenly lunged with speed and accuracy and made a meal out of one of the baby fish.

On another dive, I found two harlequin shrimps playing tug of war with a starfish leg. Harlequin shrimps will inject a starfish with paralysing venom, which keeps the starfish alive but unable to move, enabling the shrimp pair to feast on it slowly. Starfish can regenerate their arms, so if the shrimps time it right, one arm can be regrowing as they are eating another and the starfish becomes an endless food supply.

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