A Tuck and a Nip

Most listeners have heard of the little "cleaner fish" or wrasse that clean the teeth of larger fishes. New research on the behavior of these fishes shows that they are not always honest-business fish. Other fish, including those who might ordinarily consider a meal of "cleaner fish", actually stand in line for their services. That's because they need to have parasites and diseased tissue removed. They also know that the little "cleaner fish" offer massages. Ref: Science News, 11/2/02, p. 277, S. Milius, "Fish Fraud." Photo: Wrasse by Leonard Lowe_CCA 2.0_