The team of Dr. Angela Shiflet and Dr. George Shiflet, both of Wofford College, and Dr. Sylvia Pulliam, of Western Kentucky University, have created a predator-prey model for spotted fish. This model tracks trait change (spot size) of a population of spotted fish in a pond with ample food supply, which is also populated by predators (pickerels). In this model, spot size affects both the chance of reproduction and the chance of being eaten. Fish with larger spot size are more likely to attract a mate; mate choice is proportional to the fishıs spot size relative to the population as a whole. However, predators are also more likely to be attracted to fish with larger spot size; the chance of a fish being seen eaten by a predator is proportional to its spot size squared.

The model divides spotted fish into 10 groups, based on spot size. It tracks the number of fish in each group, as well as the total number of spotted fish and the total number of predator pickerels. Relative success of all spotted fish and of predator fish were found to be dependent on independent variable factors. However, regardless of other factors, the fish with smaller spots outnumbered those with larger spots; eventually the larger-spotted fish died out.