In the marine environment any solid, exposed undefended surface will become fouled. Similarly, fouling may effect numerous species which are able to tolerate a certain degree of epibiosis. In contrast, many others actively maintain their body surface clean of epibionts ('antifouling'). This paper illustrates aspects of the epibiosis/antifouling complex and discusses the omnipresence of fouling pressure, the first stages in the establishment of a fouling community, the benefits and disadvantages of epibiosis for both epi- and basibionts, and possible anbfouling defense adaptations.