In the deep sea waters of Guam, a small, intensely orange fish has found a peculiar home. It does not inhabit natural reefs, but rather artificial structures created by humans. We are referring to the orange cardinalfish, a species that has colonized abandoned deep-sea underwater hotels, adapting to an environment of cement and metal.
Ocean Engineering and Artificial Colonization 🐠
The underwater hotels, originally conceived for luxury tourism, were sunk as artificial reefs. Their steel and concrete structure offers refuge from predators in areas where sunlight barely reaches. The orange cardinalfish takes advantage of these spaces to reproduce, using the cavities of the submerged rooms as hideouts. Marine biologists study how these constructions alter the species' migration patterns.
A Guest Who Doesn't Pay the Bill 🐟
While tourists dreamed of ocean views from their beds, these fish moved in without paying a single dollar. Now they occupy the most expensive suites on the seafloor, with cleaning service included thanks to the currents. If a review system existed, they would surely praise the spaciousness of the rooms, although they would complain that room service only serves plankton.