Hatching Eggs Cuckoo Catfish-Style
In Hatching Eggs Cuckoo Catfish-Style, narrator Sir David Attenborough explains how cuckoo catfish ensure survival of their young. They lay their eggs alongside cichlid eggs, which are then all picked up by the female cichlids who protect them in their mouths. This video is excerpted from BBC’s Seven Worlds, One Planet, a series featuring remarkable animal behavior from all seven continents.
Sir David Attenborough showcases the wonders of our planet's seven continents — from frozen tundras to dense jungles — where life always finds a way.
Lesson Express
Q: How does the cichlid mother protect her babies?
A: When there is danger, she carries them in her mouth until the danger has passed.
Q: How long does it take for the eggs to develop in the cichlid’s mouth?
A: It takes three weeks for the eggs to develop, during which time the mother will not eat.
Q: What strategy did the cuckoo catfish use to protect their own eggs?
A: They laid their eggs where the mother cichlid would think they were her own and put them in her mouth where they are safe until they developed.