Can a host be harmed?
The pearl fish is a parasite which enters a sea cucumber to feed on it. The sea cucumber gets irritated by this and tries to rid itself of the pearl fish with the aid of expelling it with its digestive waste. Sometimes, the sea cucumber expels most of its digestive tract with the effort. This can significantly have an effect on its health. This relationship is referred to as parasitism – one member benefits at the price of the other.
