Video of proud yellowhead jawfish papa

By Leonard Ho - Posted Jul 16, 2012 12:00 PM

The yellowhead jawfish (Opistognathus aurifrons) is a Caribbean mouthbrooding species. The father incubates a large clutch of eggs in his mouth until they hatch, going hungry 5-7 days until his offspring are safely born. Now that is what you call a dedicated father!

Proud Papa

Frans De Backer shot this video of a new jawfish father in the Grand Caymans. The jawfish almost seems to show off his babies to the camera. At around the 1:05 mark, you can see the father aerating and cleansing the eggs by spitting them out and sucking them back. Nature is pretty darn cool, wouldn't you agree?

Author: Leonard Ho
Location: Southern California

I'm a passionate aquarist of over 30 years, a coral reef lover, and the blog editor for Advanced Aquarist. While aquarium gadgets interest me, it's really livestock (especially fish) that captivates my attention.

Website: http://www.advancedaquarist.com.