Scissortail sergeant facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Scissortail sergeant |
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The scissortail sergeant (Abudefduf sexfasciatus) is a type of damselfish. It gets its name from the black stripes on its tail and sides. These stripes look a bit like the stripes on a military Sergeant's uniform. This fish can grow to be about 16 centimeters (6.3 inches) long.
Scissortail sergeants live on coral reefs in warm, tropical waters. They usually stay in groups around a single coral head. You can find them in the Indo-Pacific region, including the Red Sea. They live at depths of up to 15 meters (49 feet).
These fish eat tiny creatures like larvae of invertebrates and zooplankton. They also eat small fish, crustaceans, and different kinds of algae. Bigger fish, like some from the Labridae and Serranidae families, sometimes eat them. Scissortail sergeants lay their eggs on solid surfaces and protect them until they hatch.
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Where They Live and Their Home
Scissortail sergeants are found in the Indo-Pacific region, which includes the Red Sea. In the Indian Ocean, you can find them near eastern Africa, Madagascar, and India. They also live around Australia, Indonesia, and the Philippines.
In the Pacific Ocean, they are common in the Great Barrier Reef. They also live near Taiwan, Japan, and many Pacific islands, all the way to Hawaii. Adult fish live on coral reefs. Younger fish, however, prefer the open sea. They can be found in waters from 1 to 20 meters (3 to 66 feet) deep.
What They Look Like
This fish is mostly white with five black stripes going up and down its body. Sometimes, it also has two black stripes on its tail fins. The scissortail sergeant can grow up to 22 centimeters (8.7 inches) long.
Their Daily Life
What They Eat
Scissortail sergeants eat algae and tiny sea creatures called zooplankton. Sometimes, they even eat their own eggs.
How They Behave
These fish often gather in large groups above coral reefs. This helps them stay safe and find food.
Scissortail Sergeants in Aquariums
Many people like to keep scissortail sergeants in home aquariums. However, they can be quite aggressive. It can be hard for them to live peacefully with other fish of similar size.
Reproduction and Life Cycle
Parental Care
Male scissortail sergeants are the ones who take care of the eggs. A male fish will mate with several females. He collects eggs from up to 12 different females. The females lay their eggs with a male and then leave them. Males are good at guarding many egg clutches at once. This also helps them attract more females.
Male scissortail sergeants have a special cycle for mating and parenting.
- During the mating phase, males turn gold. They do special dances to attract females. This phase lasts about two to three days.
- After mating, they lose their gold color and enter the parental phase. This phase lasts four to five days. During this time, the males guard the eggs until they hatch.
Female Choice
Female scissortail sergeants want their babies to survive. They often lay their eggs with other females in one male's territory. This creates a larger group of eggs.
- Having more eggs together helps protect them from predators. It's harder for a predator to eat all the eggs when there are so many.
- Males also take better care of larger groups of eggs. They are less likely to eat their own eggs if there are many.
Females also try to pick the best fathers. They look for males that are bigger and do more courtship displays. Some females even lay a few "test eggs" first. This helps them see if the male is a good parent before laying all their eggs. If the male protects the test eggs and doesn't eat them, he's a good choice.
Eating Their Own Young
Sometimes, male fish eat some of their own eggs. This is called "filial cannibalism." It happens during the parental phase. It's more common for eggs to be eaten by their father than by outside predators.
Scientists believe this behavior helps the fish survive.
- Males might eat eggs that are not healthy or are damaged.
- Eating some eggs can also give the male energy. Guarding eggs takes a lot of energy. If a male is small or can't find enough food, eating some eggs helps him care for the remaining ones. This way, he can keep the rest of his young healthy.
- If a group of eggs is very small, a male might eat all of them. This allows him to save energy and try to have more babies later.
Cannibalism is also linked to the size and age of the egg group. Smaller groups of younger eggs are more likely to be eaten. If a male's eggs are reduced early on, he might eat the rest. However, if the eggs are close to hatching, males are less likely to eat them.
Sometimes, other males try to fertilize eggs in another male's territory. This is called "sneaking." If a male thinks some of the eggs are not his, he might be more likely to eat them. This is because he has less reason to invest energy in eggs that aren't fully related to him.
Images for kids
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Scissortail sergeant fish
See also
In Spanish: Abudefduf sexfasciatus para niños
