▁fish ▁in ▁mil der ▁clim ates ▁can ▁begin ▁re product ive ▁invest ment ▁earlier , ▁putting ▁their ▁energy ▁into ▁g on adal ▁growth ▁instead ▁of ▁body ▁growth ▁at ▁younger ▁ages . ▁Fish ▁in ▁the ▁east ▁can ▁reach ▁a ▁maximum ▁age ▁around ▁ 5 ▁years , ▁but ▁fish ▁in ▁the ▁south ▁generally ▁do ▁not ▁reach ▁that ▁age . ▁The ▁sp aw ning ▁season ▁is ▁also ▁much ▁longer ▁in ▁southern ▁regions , ▁probably ▁because ▁of ▁war mer ▁temper atures ▁and ▁longer ▁phot oper iod . ▁ ▁This ▁fresh water ▁fish ▁occup ies ▁p onds , ▁la kes , ▁cre eks , ▁streams , ▁and ▁medium - s ized ▁rivers . ▁It ▁can ▁toler ate ▁slightly ▁bra ck ish ▁water ▁in ▁areas ▁near ▁the ▁coast . ▁It ▁th riv es ▁in ▁small ▁back w aters ▁filled ▁with ▁veget ation ▁and ▁tree ▁roots . ▁ ▁This ▁species ▁is ▁sometimes ▁kept ▁as ▁an ▁aqu arium ▁pet . ▁ ▁Re production ▁ ▁The ▁fish ▁spawn s ▁several ▁times ▁in ▁a ▁season , ▁sometimes ▁daily ▁for ▁a ▁long ▁period ▁of ▁time . ▁The ▁male ▁builds ▁a ▁nest ▁in ▁the ▁substr ate ▁or ▁in ▁plant ▁matter . ▁Cl utch ▁sizes ▁of ▁ 4 2 ▁to ▁ 2 1 6 ▁have ▁been ▁observed . ▁ ▁Diet ▁ ▁The ▁di et ▁of ▁the ▁fish ▁is ▁rich ▁in ▁pl ank ton . ▁It ▁cons umes ▁cy clo po id ▁co pe pod s , ▁water ▁fle as , ▁m idge ▁lar va e , ▁ost rac ods , ▁am ph ip ods , ▁and