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Animalia >Chordata >Osteichthyes >Gasterosteiformes >Gasterosteidae >Gasterosteus >

A territorial male three-spined stickleback generally attacks or chases other males that intrude into the territory. A male, however, sometimes shows the same behavior toward females.

During the reproductive season, a male three-spined stickleback establishes a territory and builds a nest on the bottom. Females lay eggs in male nests; however, eggs and hatched embryos are cared for only by the male parent until the embryos leave the nests.
Females frequently enter male nests and eat the eggs inside because eggs laid by other females are highly nutritious food. Consequently, when a male has a nest full of eggs and can not mate with any more females, it chases females away from its territory.

In the video, a male on the left of the screen (a fish with red snout- to-operculum region) first chases a female on the right (a dull colored, gravid fish with a swollen abdomen). The male then chases another female. As this female comes back to the nest, the male chases her again. The male then goes back to the nest and starts fanning the eggs (i.e., moving pectoral fins and pumping fresh water over the eggs in the nest).

(This video picture was prepared by 'Friends of Fukui City Museum of Natural History during a project 'Educational Videos on the Three-spined Stickleback.' http://www.nature.museum.city.fukui.fukui.jp/friends/itoyo/)
(translated by Asoh)

(Data No.momo050714ga03b)

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