Cleaning Symbiosis

Cleaning Symbiosis

An amazing relationship found in nature, which ridicules evolutionary thinking, is that of cleaning symbiosis. Fish, for example, roam about feeding on smaller fish and shrimp only to find that their mouths have become littered with debris and parasites. The solution to this problem for several types of fish is a visit to the local cleaning station.

At the cleaning station, the large fish opens its mouth and gill chambers, baring vicious-looking teeth, and in swim the undaunted little cleaner fish and shrimp to do their jobs. After their chore is completed, they swim back out of the larger fish’s mouth unharmed, and the big fish swims away.

It is obvious that all parties involved benefit form this relationship, but this does not explain the origin and development of this special relationship. Survival value can only be used as an argument after a relationship has been established. the picture is further complicated for the evolutionist by the fact that several species of predatory fish, cleaner fish, and shrimp are involved in this operation.

Creationists maintain that this type of relationship could never have resulted from a mere chance, trial and error evolutionary process. Animal instincts for self preservation would surely override any such unnatural suicidal tendency. Also, the temptation to get an easy free meal or to react to the irritating cleaners would tend to discourage the development of such a relationship. This type of arrangement can only reflect special creation.

It should be noted that cleaning symbiosis is by no means limit to fish alone. Amazingly enough, there is a bird (the Egyptian plover) that is willing to walk right into the mouth of the Nile crocodile to clean out parasites. He, too, leaves completely unharmed, Oh, the wonders of God’s creation!!

The Collapse of Evolution – Scott M. Huse