Ensuring the next generation - the mating behaviour of the steentjie in Cape Town waters

The steentjie (Afrikaans for "little stone" - scientific name Spondyliosoma emarginatum) is a fairly boring little silvery fish - most of the time. During mating time the males get darker, and clear patches of reef and sand close to each other in the hope of attracting a mate. They will defend these nests vigorously - even more so when the female lays her eggs. The nests are also kept meticulously clean by the males, with them even removing shells and other debris, and sweeping it clean. This behaviour has fascinated my for a long time, so when I saw it again recently, I decided to finally capture it on video. If you see these fish behaving like this, please do keep some distance. The males become skittish when approached closely, and may abandon their nests, which may result in other fish eating their eggs. Their defending, squabbling and cleaning can be seen from a few meters away - and there really is no need to place a shell in their nest to see them take it away - it looks exactly as I've shown here. The next generation of steentjies will be eternally grateful to you!