Parental care in fishes By TANZEEBA AMIN

1. PARENTAL CARE IN FISHES
By;
TANZEEBA AMIN
FISHERY SCIENCE &AQUACULTURE
M.Sc. ZOOLOGY
ALIGARH MUSLIM UNIVERSITY
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2. Introduction
 The term ‘parental care’ in used to describe any behavior
performed by parents that appears likely to improve the
survival of the young ones.
 In simple words, looking after the eggs or the youngones until
they are independent, to defend them from enemies and
predators.
 This phenomenon is well developed in several groups of
fishes.
 It is actually very important for perpetuation of race.
 Role of male and female in parental care was studied in five
species of clown fishes in captive conditions (T.T. Ajith kumar
et al,2012).
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3. Patterns and diversity of parental care
in fishes
Four main categories:-
1. Fish species which build nest
2. Fish species which do not build nest
3. Viviparity in fishes
4. Care of young ones
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4. Fish species which build nest
Circular nest
 Male Amia calva construct a
circular nest among aquatic
plants.
 One or more female attend
the nest for laying the eggs.
Then the male fertilizes and
guard the eggs till hatching.
Fig. Circular nest
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5. Basin shaped nest
 Darter fish during spawning
season chooses a proper place
known as DOMAIN.
 Any female darter can enter it
and construct a basin like
depression to release the eggs
Fig. Basin like nest
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6. Barrel shaped nest
 The male three-spined stickleback
fish construct nest of dead aquatic
plants by using sticky secretion
from his kidneys.
 Male drags a female to lay eggs
then fertilizes them and takes care
of them.
Fig. Barrel shaped
nest
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7. Burrow or hole nest
 The male of African lung fish
(Protopterus), digs oval pits or
holes at the base of tall swamp
grasses. Several females laid
eggs in a single hole.
 Floating nest:- The male of
Gymnarchus builds a floating
nest by using aquatic
vegetation.
Fig. Burrow or hole nest
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8. Foamy nest
 The male fighting fish (Betta)
builds the nest by producing
small bubbles in his mouth.
 The blowing bubbles with
sticky mucous adheres
together & form floating
mass of dome shaped foam.
Fig. Foamy nest
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9. Fish species which do not build nest
1) Deposition of eggs at
suitable places:-
 Depositing eggs in masses of
definite forms:-
example- Perca flavescen
(yellow perch)
 Deposition of eggs in the
cervices of the rocks:-
example- Cyclopterus.
 Deposition of eggs in dead shells
of molluscs:- example- Gobies,
bull head fish & Rhodeus.
Fig. Deposited eggs on shell of
molluscs
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10. 2) Deposition of eggs in fish body
• Mouth cavity as a
shelter for eggs:-
• e.g. female cichlids
(Tilapia) .
• Males of Arius &
Loricaria.
Fig. mouth brooding fish with
eggs in mouth
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11.  Courtship behaviour and parental care was observed in
laboratory conditions in Oreochromis mossambicus.
 It was observed that after fertilization female kept all eggs in
mouth showing mouth brooding (Sudha patel et al ,2016) .
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Fig. mouth brooding fish with young in mouth

12. Attachment of eggs with bony hooks
 The male of Australian
Kurtus attaches the mass of
eggs on a hook like
projection on forehead
until hatching.
 Formation of
integumentary cups:-
e.g, Platystacus
fig. male Australian Kurtus with
bony hooks on forehead
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13. Placement of eggs in brood pouches
 In the sea horse and pipe fish
male cares the eggs till
hatching.
 In sea horse females transfer
eggs into brood pouch of male.
Male keep them till hatching &
also carries the young for
sometimes.
 The male pipe fish grows flaps
of skin underside which form a
pouch.
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Male Hippocampus with
brood pouch

14. Formation of mermaid’s purses
 Sharks and rays forms
mermaid’s purses which are
secreted by the shell glands of
oviduct. They vary in shapes
but perform same function i.e.
protection.
 These are anchored to sea
weeds by their long tendrils.
Development occurs in them &
young hatches out.
Fig. mermaid’s purses of elasmobranchs
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15. 3)Viviparity in fishes
 Some fishes are viviparous
such as Scoliodon,
Cymatogaster etc. In them
fertilization & development
both are internal.
4) Care of young ones:-
families such as
Gasterosteidae, Ictaluridae
& Centrarchidae does not
stop with the caring of eggs
but also defend their young
ones.
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Fig. Cymatogaster giving birth to
young

16. Merits & demerits of parental care in
fishes
 Merits of parental care :-
• Improves survival of young ones
• Improves development of young ones
 Demerits of parental care:-
• Decreased parental survival
• Increased time until the next breeding attempt
• Reduced future fecundity
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17. Conclusion
 Parental care is an inborn instinctive behavior shown by
different species of fish. A number of fishes provide parental
care to their eggs and young, provide protection for their
survival against struggle for existence.
 Many fish species do not care for their eggs, but lay their eggs
in sufficiently safer places in large number e.g. – some carps.
 Great diversity of parental care is found in fishes. Formation
of basin shaped simple nest to viviparity and few take care of
hatchlings.

18. References
• Ichthyology handbook by B G Kapoor and Bhavna khanna
• Biology of fishes by Quentin Bone and Richard H. Moore
• The biology of fishes by M. Harry Kyle
• fundamentals of Ichthiology by S P Biswas
• www.slideshare.net/BhavyaVashisht/parental-care-in-fishes
• www.yourarticlelililibraryy.com/fish/anatomy-
and.../9...parental-care...fishes/88416/
• rspb.royalsocietypublishing.org
• T.T Ajith kumar et al 2012, determining the level of parental
care in 5 species of amphiron,Indian journal of geo marine
science,vol41(5),430-441.
• Susha patel and Dr Mangala nayak 2016,courtship and
parental care in oreochromis in lab conditions,IJIRAS ,vol 3
issue 10,230-234.
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19. THANK YOU….
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