Parenting

Unlike many other species, the male remains at the nest guarding the fertilized eggs. After spawning, it oven chases the female away from the nest site, exhibiting strong territorial instincts. It remains there until the eggs have hatched and the young fry have dispersed.

Their parenting instincts are so strong that experimental tagged fish have been transported several miles away from nest sites, but have been recovered again at the same nest in a surprisingly short time afterwards.

The young feed mainly on an invertebrate diet and grow fast during their first year, but stunting can occur if lakes are overpopulated or if fish are confined to too-small bodies of water.

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