Show father stickleback fish protects eggs in nest man does not know at just what stage in the evolution of life parent animals begin to develop a desire to help their children through the tender and dangerous stage of their lives we have however observed a few instances where the protective instinct is found in animal life as low as the fishes one of the most interesting and familiar illustrations is that of the sticklebacks stickle backs writes frances E potts in nature magazine the males of this group build nests of waterweeds water weeds binding them together with mucous webs or threads secreted from the kidneys when satisfied with the nest the male looks around for a mote mate to occupy it if he does not succeed in attracting a mate he resorts to force and drives a female or several of them into the nest until he has a satisfactory number of eggs after the female deposits the eggs in the nest her responsibility for her children is over in tact fact she would enjoy eating the little fish and probably would do so except for their vigilant father never during the period of incubation does he forsake his vigil often fighting off enemies and even the female with the use of the stickles on his back not only does he guard his precious treasure but with the use of his tail and fins he circulates water through the nest to provide plenty of oxygen and maintain purity in case the current spills an egg or a young flah fish strays out he rescues it and returns it to the nest there is a marine calf catfish ish the gaff topsail inhabiting the atlantic and gulf coasts the male of which assumes a remarkable family responsibility lity unbelievable as it may seem he protects the eggs during incubation by holding them in his mouth the incubation period may be a full month and the eggs nearly an inch in diameter the male may carry at times as many as 50 in this manner although 25 might be nearer the average some scientists maintain that these fish may reach a length of four inches before being thrown out from under the parental root roof |