▁The ▁cre ek ▁wh aler ▁fe eds ▁pre domin antly ▁on ▁small ▁tele ost ▁fish es ▁( including ▁thread fin ▁b ream s ▁and ▁l izard fish es ) ▁and ▁cr ust ace ans ▁( including ▁p ena e id ▁pra wn s ▁and ▁mant is ▁sh rim ps ); ▁ce phal op ods ▁are ▁also ▁inf re qu ently ▁consum ed . ▁Kn own ▁par as ites ▁of ▁this ▁species ▁include ▁the ▁t ape w orm ▁Call itet rar h yn chus ▁g rac ilis , ▁and ▁a ▁n emat ode ▁in ▁the ▁genus ▁Pul ch ras car is . ▁ ▁Like ▁other ▁members ▁of ▁its ▁family , ▁the ▁cre ek ▁wh aler ▁is ▁viv ip ar ous , ▁with ▁the ▁developing ▁emb ry os ▁receiving ▁n our ishment ▁from ▁the ▁mother ▁through ▁a ▁pla cent al ▁connection ▁formed ▁from ▁the ▁de ple ted ▁y olk ▁sac . ▁Fem ales ▁produce ▁lit ters ▁of ▁one ▁to ▁seven ▁young ▁every ▁year . ▁M ating ▁occurs ▁between ▁May ▁and ▁July , ▁with ▁the ▁females ▁storing ▁the ▁s perm ▁until ▁ov ulation ▁takes ▁place ▁between ▁July ▁and ▁September . ▁After ▁a ▁gest ation ▁period ▁of ▁seven ▁to ▁ 9 ▁months , ▁bir thing ▁occurs ▁between ▁February ▁and ▁May ▁of ▁the ▁following ▁year . ▁The ▁new born s ▁measure ▁ ▁long ▁and ▁spend ▁their ▁first ▁few ▁months ▁of ▁life ▁in ▁shall ow , ▁in sh ore ▁nur ser y ▁areas ▁such ▁as ▁Cleveland ▁Bay ▁in ▁north ▁Queensland . ▁M ales ▁and ▁females ▁att ain ▁sexual ▁m