Reef Cleaner

Batfish

Holy algae, batfish, we need you to clean up that reef!

When researchers wanted to know what fish on Australia's Great Barrier Reef was best at removing algae that can kill coral reefs, they got a surprise.

A rare, pancake-shaped fish called the batfish did what the parrotfish and surgeonfish could not do -- that is, not only control the algae, but remove even the most problematic blooms.

There are lots of fish that can eat algae. When those fish are gone, algae overgrow a reef and smother all of the corals. Algae grow really well, especially when there are extra nutrients in the water, like what happens in reefs that are near developed coastlines. And so, it's nice to know that Mother Nature has her own fish to help out.

And what a fish it is. David Bellwood at James Cook University said most fish are like lawn mowers that can keep algae under control, however, the batfish was like an underwater version of a chain saw.

While not quite a "caped" crusader, the batfish, along with many other algae-eating fish species, is a true super-hero of Australia's Great Barrier Reef.

Script by Bob Rhein

Discovery Links

To learn more about today’s topic, please explore the links below:

• Batfish Invaluable to Great Barrier Reef
• The Polka-Dot Batfish
• Coral Reef Websites