Interesting Chalk Bass Mating Strategy

[eatbreakfast]

Chalk bass are hermaphrodites, which is pretty common for marine fish, but it turns out that they will mate for life which is quite uncommon.

http://m.phys.org/news/2016-06-relationship-advice-gender-bending-fish-life.html

 

[mr11]

Another rare example of monogamy (ish) in nature. Pretty cool. They really like to keep score

 

[Flashy Fins]

... the fish switch genders at least 20 times each day

Sounds exhausting!

Interesting they say the chalk bass only lives a year. Is that right?

 

[eatbreakfast]

... the fish switch genders at least 20 times each day

Sounds exhausting!

Interesting they say the chalk bass only lives a year. Is that right?

Perhaps it's only around a year in the wild, but in captivity 5yrs is pretty common. There just are a lot of predator and competition pressures in the wild.

 

[MIKE NY]

I had a breeding pair a few years ago. As they grew larger they became more seclusive hiding in caves and under rocks most of the day only coming out to eat which consisted of anything they could fit in there mouths including smaller fish. The male developed beautiful orange highlights around his head, gill plates and fins. The courtship would begin as soon as the moonlights went on in open water splashing near the surface causing a feeding frenzy. Unfortunately I lost the larger female jumping through an opening in the netting and the male died a few weeks later. They lived to about 3-4 years

 

[Flashy Fins]

... coming out to eat which consisted of anything they could fit in there mouths including smaller fish

!

Guess it's a good thing I decided not to include any in my current tanks. I did have one in a former tank who feasted on $50 worth of sexy shrimp before I read they were not shrimp safe. I normally research before purchasing a fish, but he was my one impulse buy due to the fact that they don't photograph very well. Having seen them online, I had overlooked them completely, but seeing a shimmering blue/purple juvenile at the LFS was enough to send me home with the big-eyed beauty. I've not seen adult coloration in person, since mine decided to take a vacation on the carpet before reaching 2". I've seen many tobacco basslets snorkeling the Caribbean, but never chalk bass, unless I'm overlooking them.