Fighting habits of fish during reproductive period

During the reproductive period, many fish become very aggressive in order to obtain a satisfactory mate, please the mate, and protect the fish nest. The Siamese Botfish in Thailand are best known for their aggressiveness. During the reproductive period, males become like fighting cocks. This kind of fish is darker in color when it is in a resting state. When two male fish are placed in the same place, or one male is placed in front of a mirror so that it can see its own shadow, it will immediately raise its fins. It rises up, causing its fins and body to emit a dazzling metallic light, and repeatedly strikes the opponent or its shadow in the mirror.

The males of many gobies can also fight fiercely and kill each other. The winner spreads his fins in front of the female to show off his colors. In the viviparous bream fish produced in South Africa, the males duel with each other under certain rules; at the beginning, the two males are side by side or facing each other. When they face each other, both sides open their mouths wide and raise their gill covers. At this time, the spots on the gill covers look like two eyes, and then they start fighting. They can fight for several rounds, with short rests in between, and eventually the loser retreats and cedes territory to the winner.

In Hawaii, there is a kind of saw-scale fish commonly known as "bait fish". They are very aggressive. Local fishermen use their aggressive habits to trap male fish in the water. When fishermen catch a male fish, they tie it with a line and make it go back and forth between rocks where other lure fish live. When another male lure fish sees it, it will expand its fins and show its scales. In this way, many male lure fish can be attracted at once to gather near the bound male lure fish.

At this time, the fishermen lift up the fishing net that has already sunk under the fish, thereby catching all the male fish in one net. The struggle during the reproductive period of the small three-spined stickleback may be one of the most violent fights among fish. In the duel between male fish, the strong one defeats the weak one and ends with death. Stickleback fish use their sharp spines to stab each other. During the fight, both male fishes swim very fast and use their pelvic fins to violently charge at each other. After a few rendezvous, one party loses and the winner tries his best to show off his beautiful colors to woo the female. After the defeat, the loser's body turns dark and no longer participates in the battle, and for a period of time thereafter, he often becomes the target of abuse by the winner.

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