Many experts believe that mother paradise fish have no maternal instincts, and would not hesitate to eat their own eggs. While the male fish are protecting the eggs they are very intolerant of intruders. They stay on guard and do not rest until the eggs are hatched.
一般認為，鬥魚媽媽缺少母性，會毫不猶豫吞食卵子，因此公魚護卵期的排他性很強，牠們獨佔孩子，直到魚卵孵化亦不卸下任務。