No food or water for 40 days! This fish dad's way of raising a baby is shocking...

Identity Profile: Who is Otaki Six-line Fish?

Scientific Name: Hexagrammos otakii

Family: Hexapodidae, commonly known as "six-line fish" and "spotted fish"

Distribution: Northwest Pacific Ocean, common in the coastal areas of China, Japan and South Korea

Body length: usually 20-40 cm, up to 60 cm

Features: There are 6 longitudinal brown stripes on the sides of the body (this is also the origin of the name "six-line fish"), and it is good at changing color with the environment, and can be called the "master of camouflage" in the sea.

During the breeding season in autumn and winter every year, male otaki six-line fish transform into "real estate agents" and carefully select nests in the crevices of reefs or seaweed. They use their mouths to clean up gravel and drive away competitors to ensure that the nest is hidden and the water flow is suitable. Once the "sea view room" is completed, the male fish begins to twist its body and change its body color to attract female fish to lay eggs. After the female fish lays thousands of orange-red eggs, it leaves gracefully, leaving the male fish alone to bear the responsibility of hatching. From this moment on, the male fish starts "hell mode":

Fasting: Stop all eating behaviors and rely only on the fat and muscle stored in the body to maintain life;

Defense: Use the body to fan the water to provide oxygen to the eggs and drive away crabs, starfish and other egg stealers;

Cleaning: Remove moldy or necrotic eggs to prevent the spread of infection.

Studies have shown that the egg-guarding period lasts 30-40 days, during which male fish lose an average of 20%-30% of their body weight, with some individuals even dying from excessive consumption.

Before the breeding season, male fish will eat frantically, raising the fat content in their liver and muscles to a peak. These energy reserves are like "power banks", supporting them to maintain basal metabolism and protect eggs during fasting. During the egg protection period, the metabolic rate of male fish is greatly reduced, and physiological activities such as heart rate and swimming frequency enter "power saving mode". Scientists have found that its energy consumption is only 30%-40% of the normal state, which can be called the fish version of the "hibernation mechanism". Although the risk of egg protection behavior is extremely high, from an evolutionary perspective, the sacrifice of male fish significantly increases the survival rate of fish eggs (the mortality rate of unprotected eggs can reach more than 90%). This "fighting to the death" strategy ensures that more offspring carry their own genes.

When human parents complained about "raising children 996 hours a day", the male bigeye fish said: "At least you can still eat and sleep!" Behind their "involution" is a cruel logic of survival:

No substitutes: After laying eggs, the female fish no longer participates in childcare, leaving the male fish isolated and helpless;

Surrounded by natural enemies: starfish, octopus, crabs are watching closely, and the whole army will be wiped out if you are not careful;

Climate stress: Increased water temperature or pollution may cause oxygen deprivation to the eggs, making egg protection more difficult.

Soul-searching question: What would happen if a human father took care of his baby without eating for 40 days?

Based on the daily basal metabolism of 1,500 calories for an adult male, 60,000 calories need to be consumed in 40 days, which is equivalent to a weight loss of 8-10 kilograms (far exceeding the healthy limit).

Conclusion: Humans really can’t learn the “cruel life” of Fish Daddy!

The Otaki six-line fish subverts the stereotype of "maternal love is natural", proving that paternal love can also be the core of survival strategy in nature. Similar cases include seahorses (male brood pouch hatching) and emperor penguins (male birds incubating eggs), which provide valuable samples for studying the evolution of animal gender roles. Overfishing and marine pollution are threatening the survival of the Otaki six-line fish. Male fish in the egg-guarding period are more likely to be captured due to physical weakness, which directly leads to a decline in the reproduction rate of the population. Protecting this type of "model father" is a key link in protecting the marine ecological chain. From the fish father's fasting to protect eggs to the hard work of human parents, the essence of "love" may be the energy that transcends species - it allows life to willingly endure extreme pain just to exchange for the next generation's vitality.

The male Otaki six-line fish spent 40 days of hunger, writing the most tragic parenting epic in the ocean world. The next time you see this "king of sashimi" in a Japanese restaurant, perhaps you will remember that they are not only delicious on the table, but also a natural miracle that transcends life and death and protects life.

Easter eggs: How to identify male fish in the egg-guarding period?

● Body color becomes darker (warning color);

● A sunken abdomen (long-term fasting);

● Extremely aggressive (anyone who approaches the nest will be killed no matter how far away!)

References:

[1] Duan Yan, Dong Jing, Li Mengyao. Research progress on reproductive behavior of Hexapoda fish[J]. Fisheries Science, 2015, 34(11): 726-732. DOI: 10.16378/j.cnki.1003-1111.2015.11.011.

[2] Guo Wen, Yu Daode, Pan Lei, et al. Special body color and reproductive characteristics of Hexaphylla fishes[J]. Marine Science, 2011, 35(12): 132-136.