How do male fish give their eggs extra care?

Most fish eggs never hatch. Many wash ashore and dry up, and many are eaten by other fish. So, in the dangerous world of the sea, some male fish give their eggs extra care.

A male smallmouth black bass cares for its young even before they’re hatched. He makes a wide, saucer-shaped hole in the sand where the female bass lays her eggs. The eggs are sticky. They stick to the sand and do not float away.

After the female lays the eggs, the male guards them all by himself. He also fans them with his tail. This keeps the water around the eggs fresh and helps them hatch.

When the young hatch, the male watches over them as they learn to swim. He fights anything that comes near. Later, the male guards them while they find food.

A male jawfish keeps eggs in his mouth. After they hatch, he holds the young in his mouth until they’re big enough to live on their own. Then he spits them out into the water, and away they swim.

Picture Credit : Google