Prolarval Coppernose in nest as they appear morning prior to exodus. Physiologically they are already larvae as would like eat if I put brine shrimp in nest with them. Tonight as lights dim they will swim out in mass such that is looks like smoke. Fathers of other sunfish species I have watched get really aggressive at that time. The black basses have to switch over to tending a mobile brood that somehow stays together in his territory.
The larva is from previous brood that is ~9 days post exodus. You can clearly see color coming from food in its gut. In terms of weight it is about 6 times what it weighed at exodus. They still look nothing like adults. Over the next few days the fin rays and spines will come in very fast.
