Birds do it, bees do it, fish do it… wait, what? Yes indeed, our funny finny friends lay eggs, LOTS of them, and in many cases build nests both to lure potential mates and shelter their spawn once the deed is done. Fish nests are much more than simply some sort of natural nautical Bird’s Nest Soup, they’re a labour of love looked down from above.
1. Marine Mandalas
Images/more info via: World Mysteries and Bristol University
A six foot wide “underwater crop circle” discovered 80 feet below the ocean surface off the southern coast of Japan had scientists flummoxed - who or what constructed the intricate seafloor mandala and what did it mean?
Images/more info via: Spoon and Tamago and Amaminchu
Patience (and the judicious use of underwater cameras) paid off for photographer Yoji Ookata when the perpetrator, a diligent male Puffer Fish, was eventually caught in the act. Further study indicated male Puffers build the elaborate artifices first to lure potential mates, then to protect the clutch of eggs from disruptive ocean currents.
2. Fishbeds Exposed
Images/more info via: Space Coast Eco
Fishbed: not just NATO’s reporting name for the MIG-21 anymore! These curious circular constructions are less-sophisticated versions of the Puffer Fish’s marine masterpiece, though they serve some of the same purposes. In this case, the bream-like fish who scooped out the crater-like depressions just want to ensure their eggs stay wet when the water level’s low.
Image/more info via: Fish and Frog – Turtle and Blog
Snapped on a marshy stretch of the Florida coast, this collection of fishbeds somewhat resembles a bee’s honeycomb. It may be unfortunate for the fish if the water level keeps dropping but at least the dry spell allowed naturalists to capture the phenomenon on film for posterity.
3. Cichlid Flicks
Images via: Malawi Cichlid
The Featherfin Cichlid (Cyathopharynx furcifer) makes its home in the freshwater lakes of East Africa, and in those lakes it makes nests to hold its eggs. If pet-owners provide enough sand and a large enough tank, the fish will construct these nests in captivity as well, as shown above. In its natural habitat, of course, cichlid fish grow to larger sizes and their nests are bigger and deeper as well.
Image/more info via: Arkive
Lake bottoms are typically devoid of extensive invertebrate marine life such as corals, sponges and anemones so cichlid nests really stand out, appearing almost like the craters of the moon. One cichlid species takes the whole “standing out” thing to a new, higher level - literally. We’re not sure what Lethrinops macrophthalmus is up to exactly, perhaps Mrs. Macrophthalmus just adores a penthouse suite.
4. Wrasse-tafarians
Images/more info via: Telegraph Media Group Ltd. and WN.com
Wrasse are intelligent as fish go and divers are often “buzzed” by these colourful and inquisitive fish. They’re also avid nest-builders, often selecting a variety of different materials discovered in their travels and bringing them back to the nest site in their mouths. Once there, the fish will zealously guard the nest from any and all interlopers. The Corkwing Wrasse above definitely appears to be out to impress with his large and gaudy nest!
5. Space Invaders
Images/more info via: Florida Photography Guide and My Florida Backyard
Many readers may know Tilapia from the seafood section of their supermarket but did you know this African native is an invasive species? The bowl-shaped nests above were scooped out by non-native Tilapia in a Florida pond, and the fish themselves hang around the nests until their eggs hatch and the young disperse.
6. A Mo Betta Nest
Images/more info via: Aquariums Life, GoPitbull and Seriously Fish
It doesn’t get much “Betta” than this: a nest made out of bubbles! Bettas, or “Siamese Fighting Fish” as many know them, are one of the only fish species that create serviceable nests out of nothing more than seemingly fragile bubbles. It’s wonder the nests stay together long enough for the eggs to hatch and the young Bettas to grow a bit within their shelter.
Image/more info via: Pet Info Club
Male Bettas build their nests bubble by bubble - it actually doesn’t take as long as one might think. Once courted and compliant, the Bettas spawn… not in the nest, on the river or pond bottom. Then the male has more work to do, taking each individual egg into his mouth and “blowing” it up into the bubble nest. When it comes to nest-building creativity, few fish are mo betta than the Betta!
7. Stickleback Mountain
Images via: Animal Pix Archive, Giacomo Radi and Sam2cents
The Three-spined Stickleback (Gasterosteus aculeatus aculeatus) is one of the better-known nest builders due to the extreme care the male takes in building his nest, luring a female inside, and then guarding their newly hatched young. Naturally, no cheap cheesy nest will do. The fish seeks out a variety of building materials such as sticks and waterweed, then skilfully weaves them together so that the resulting construction is sturdy enough to stand the test of time.
Image/more info via: Arkive
Sticklebacks aren’t especially large fish but their application of brainpower to a specific end is admirable to say the least. There are more than a few birds whose nest-making efforts pale in comparison to those of the humble Stickleback.
Image via: Nasirkhan/Pxleyes
Fish nests don’t get the same coverage as bird’s nests but blame the problem of accessibility, not the nests or nest-builders themselves. As you’ve seen, it doesn’t take a fisheye lens to reveal the wide world of fish nests in all their glory, just a fish’s eye view.
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