Brian ReckenbeilMoravian College, PA

Bonaire 2008

Juvenile French Angelfish Cleaning Behavior in Bonaire

Background• French Angelfish have been studied as cleaner

fish in many parts of the world, ex Brazil (Sazima).

• Cleaning species eat parasites off of clients, which is mutualistic to both species.

• In Wicksten’s 1998 study of cleaner fish in Bonaire, only 1 incidence of French Angel cleaning was reported on 2 individuals.

• According to Deloach, FA’s only act as cleaner fish until they reach a length of 7.6 cm (3 in)

Photo by Lola Nygaard

What did I do?

• Juvenile French Angelfish, Pomacanthus paru, were observed near the waters around the yellow submarine dive shop

• The cleaners I observed ranged from 1cm to 5cm

• I looked to see if P. paru have a significant impact as a cleaner species in Bonaire

• Sazima, 1999, showed that in Brazil, Juvenile French Angelfish have a large impact in the reef system as a cleaner

• Wicksten, 1998, reports almost no cleaning activity by French Angels in Bonaire

• I wanted to try to figure out why there is a discrepancy between the two studies

Why??

1 5

3

2

4

Cleaning Station Locations

Show Video

• Sites 1,5&6 based at man made objects• Sites 2,3&4 are natural coral heads• All locations in lagoon area: no deeper than 3m

6

Station 1

Ocean Surgeon Fish Feeding

Home of Angel

Angel swims to clean OS

Station 2

Stoplight Parrot at station 3

Photo by Lola Nygaard

Station 4Princess Parrot

Station 5Ocean Surgeon

Photo by Christine San Antonio

ResultsResults

Cleaner Cleaner StationStation

Size Size (cm)(cm)

% Time % Time CleaninCleanin

g g

# # SurveysSurveys

11 1.51.5 1919 77

22 22 1414 55

33 2.52.5 99 55

44 1.0 & 1.0 & 3.53.5

3636 33

55 33 1212 44

66 3.53.5 4242 33

TotalTotal 19.5%19.5% 2727

The Clients

• Over 9.6 hours of Observation: 1.87 hrs spent cleaning • 24 species cleaned during survey• 4 more species seen cleaned NOT during surveys

(Spotted Moray, Bicolor Damsel, Brown Chromis and Permit)

• 186 cleaning sessions: 168 individuals

Photo by Lola Nygaard

Number of Visits per Species

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

50

55

Banded B

utterfl

y

Blue

Tang

Caesar

Gru

nt

Dusky D

amse

l

Four Eye

Butte

rfly

French

Gru

nt

Ocean

Surg

eon

Princes

s Par

rot

Queen P

arro

t

Rainbow P

arro

t

Schoolm

aste

r

Sergea

nt Maj

or

SharpeN

ose

Puffer

Smooth

Tru

nkfis

h

Spanis

h Hogfis

h

Spotted G

oatfis

h

Spotted T

runkf

ish

Stoplig

ht Par

rot

Trum

petfi

sh

White

Gru

nt

White

Spot F

ilefis

h

Yello

w Goat

fish

Yello

w Tai

l Par

rot

Yello

wfin M

ojarra

# C

lean

ing

Ses

sio

ns

Time Cleaned during 9.6 hours of observation

02468

101214161820

Tim

e (m

inu

tes)

Relation Between Time Cleaned and Number of Visits

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

50

55

Un

its

(m

inu

tes

&/o

r s

es

sio

ns

)

Count ofSessions

CleaningTime (min)

Cleaning was the intended purpose??

5%

13%

82%

maybe

no

yes

Comparing French Angel to other Comparing French Angel to other common cleaners: common cleaners:

Cleaner Cleaner SpeciesSpecies

# # Client Client SpecieSpeciess

# Hrs # Hrs ObserveObservedd

# Hrs # Hrs CleaninCleaningg

French French AngelAngel

24/2824/28 9.69.6 1.871.87

* * Pederson Pederson ShrimpShrimp

66 3.53.5 0.6580.658

* Gobies* Gobies 1313 1.251.25 0.3430.343

* * Bluehead Bluehead WrasseWrasse

11 0.750.75 0.0010.001

* Unpublished data from Luisa Velasquez* Unpublished data from Luisa Velasquez

% Time % Time CleaninCleaningg

New New Species/hSpecies/hrr

19.519.5 2.502.50

2020 1.711.71

2727 10.410.4

0.150.15 1.331.33

So why did Wicksten NOT see So why did Wicksten NOT see much cleaning behavior by much cleaning behavior by French Angels?French Angels?

• LocationLocation– Most abundant population of French Most abundant population of French

Angels I have seen IS at yellow sub, and Angels I have seen IS at yellow sub, and she was surveying off of South she was surveying off of South Kralendijk, Calabas ReefKralendijk, Calabas Reef

Calabas Reef About 1 mile away

© Dive Friends Bonaire

So why did Wicksten Not see much cleaning behavior by French Angels?

• Location– Most abundant population of French Angels I

have seen IS at yellow sub, and she was surveying off of South Kralendijk, Calabas Reef

– Depth• All my fish were above 3m• Wicksten studied from 3m to 18m

Other possible studies to Other possible studies to considerconsider

• Relate time spent cleaning to time Relate time spent cleaning to time spent foragingspent foraging

• Analyze stomach contents Analyze stomach contents – These could show how much the cleaner These could show how much the cleaner

depends on cleaning for its food source.depends on cleaning for its food source.

In ConclusionIn Conclusion• It appears that Juvenile French Angels have an It appears that Juvenile French Angels have an

impact as cleaners, at least in the vicinity of the impact as cleaners, at least in the vicinity of the Yellow Sub pier in BonaireYellow Sub pier in Bonaire– Due toDue to

• Time spent cleaningTime spent cleaning

• # Species Cleaned# Species Cleaned– Compared to other common cleanersCompared to other common cleaners

• They do not however, seem to be a large part of They do not however, seem to be a large part of the cleaning on the Reef, since they are found only the cleaning on the Reef, since they are found only in shallow waters and not very common elsewhere in shallow waters and not very common elsewhere around the islandaround the island

A Special Thanks to:A Special Thanks to:

andand

• BNMPBNMP

• Dive Friends BonaireDive Friends Bonaire

• Rita PeacheyRita Peachey