UPY 2023

UPY  Behaviour - Highly Commended
'Bluehead Chub and Rosyside Dace'
Isaac Szabo

Bluehead Chubs are fascinating fish occurring in streams of the southeast United States. During the spring spawning season mature males grow spikes on their heads for use in territorial fights with rival males. Winners claim control of the best spawning sites where they spawn with females and then pile up thousands of rocks on top in large mounds to protect the eggs from predators. The strategy works so well that many other species of colorful minnows have evolved to spawn in chub nests too, making chubs keystone species. Here a spawning school of Rosyside Dace swarm the nest as the chub adds another rock. As a freshwater photographer, chub nest season is always the highlight of my year. Timing the rock drop shot is challenging since the chub moves fast. Thankfully they are hard workers, so I usually get many attempts and if I’m lucky a few keepers.

Judge's comment: A wonderful real world behaviour image, showing the fascinating behaviour of two freshwater species.
Alex Mustard