Parental care means the care and protection given by parents to their eggs and young ones to help them survive. In fishes, most species lay a very large number of eggs and show no parental care ā they leave the eggs to develop on their own. However, some fishes do show interesting forms of parental care, such as building nests, guarding the eggs, carrying the eggs in the mouth, or even carrying the young on the body. In general, fishes that show parental care lay fewer eggs, because more of their young survive.
Parental care is the care given by parents to their eggs and young to help them survive.
Most fishes show no parental care and lay a very large number of eggs.
Fishes that give parental care lay fewer eggs.
Types: nest building, mouth brooding, guarding eggs, and carrying young.
Stickleback (male) builds a nest; Gourami builds a bubble nest.
Tilapia and some catfishes are mouth brooders.
In sea horses, the male carries the eggs in a brood pouch.
Parental care is the protection and care given by one or both parents to their eggs and young ones until the young can look after themselves.
Why parental care matters: ā¢ Eggs and young fish face many dangers ā predators, water currents and lack of food. ā¢ Fishes that do not give parental care lay a very large number of eggs (thousands or millions), because most are eaten or destroyed and only a few survive. ā¢ Fishes that give parental care lay fewer eggs, because the care increases the chance of the young surviving.
So parental care and the number of eggs laid are related ā more care usually means fewer eggs.
Nest building: Some fishes build nests to lay and protect their eggs. ā¢ Stickleback ā the male builds a nest of weeds and guards the eggs. ā¢ Gourami and Betta (fighting fish) ā build a 'bubble nest' of air bubbles at the water surface.
Mouth brooding (oral gestation): Some fishes carry their eggs and young inside the mouth for protection. ā¢ Tilapia and some catfishes ā keep the eggs in the mouth until they hatch.
Guarding the eggs: One parent stays near the eggs and drives away predators. ā¢ Many catfishes guard their eggs.
Carrying young on the body: ā¢ Sea horse ā the male has a special brood pouch on its belly in which the female lays eggs; the male carries and protects them until they hatch. ā¢ Pipefish ā also carry eggs on the body.
Parental care in fishes means the care and protection given by parents to their eggs and young ones to help them survive. Most fishes show no parental care and lay a very large number of eggs, but some fishes build nests, guard their eggs, carry eggs in the mouth, or carry the young on the body.
The main types are: (1) nest building (e.g., stickleback and bubble-nest builders like Gourami), (2) mouth brooding, where the eggs are carried in the mouth (e.g., Tilapia and some catfishes), (3) guarding the eggs against predators, and (4) carrying the young on the body, as in the sea horse, where the male has a brood pouch.
The sea horse carries its eggs in a brood pouch. The female lays the eggs into a special pouch on the belly of the male, and the male carries, protects and finally releases the young. This is a famous example of parental care given by the male fish.
Fishes that give parental care lay fewer eggs because the care greatly increases the chance of the young surviving. In contrast, fishes that give no parental care must lay a very large number of eggs (thousands or millions), because most of the eggs and young are eaten or destroyed and only a few survive.
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