Fighting behaviour in native fish: the Mexican mojarra (Cichlasoma istlanum) wins when confronted with the non-native convict cichlid fish (Amatitlania nigrofasciata)

The duration of startles provides an inverse measure of motivation to resume the previous activity. Here, we use a novel method in which one convict cichlid fish ( Amatitlania nigrofasciata ) of a competing pair was startled independently of the opponent. Fish were given various opponents and the mean startle duration determined. This mean was negatively correlated with the mean use of highly escalated ‘frontal activities’ such as biting and frontal display, but not the less escalated lateral displays or tail beating. Thus the startle duration was a reliable surrogate measure of the most escalated components of aggressive interactions. That is, it provided a motivational probe for aggressiveness of individual fish. Fight motivation is often determined in terms of fight duration or physiological costs for losers, who reveal the costs they are prepared to pay. We discuss various potential advantages of the motivational probe over previous measures, particularly with respect to winners and losers and different times during the interactions.

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Convict cichlid parents that stay with the same mate develop unique and consistent divisions of roles

PeerJ ◽

10.7717/peerj.10534 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 8 ◽

pp. e10534

Author(s):

Jennifer L. Snekser ◽

Murray Itzkowitz

Keyword(s):

Division Of Labor ◽

Cichlid Fish ◽

Direct Care ◽

Biparental Care ◽

Convict Cichlid ◽

Offspring Survival ◽

Parental Roles ◽

Convict Cichlids ◽

Amatitlania Nigrofasciata ◽

Over Time

Previous studies, largely on avian species, have suggested that pairs that are permanently monogamous and have biparental care develop a coordination over time that enhances offspring survival. If this is the case, we predicted that a parent involved in biparental care would develop a pattern of biparental care specific to a particular mate and remain consistent in that pattern over time but would lose this pattern if it were to change mates. We tested this prediction with the convict cichlid fish (Amatitlania nigrofasciata) which has biparental care that is both complex and flexible. In this species, each parent can perform all parental roles but typically shows a division of labor in which males typically defend against offspring predators while the female typically provides direct care to the offspring. At various times, the parents briefly switch roles. Our experiments revealed that pairs that remained together for two consecutive broods were more consistent in their parental behaviors, including time they spent near the intruder and in the nest compared to pairs that were comprised of individuals that had previously mated with other partners. Also individuals that remained with the same partner were also more consistent as a parental unit, maintaining their sex-specific roles of males defending aggressively against an intruder and females spending more time directly caring for young. While our experiment clearly support our prediction that individuals do develop unique coordination with specific individuals, convict cichlids in nature appear to be largely serially monogamous in which they mate only once before changing partners. Thus, it is likely this coordination may be available in many species that have biparental care but become adaptive when repeated matings become common.

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Biparental division of roles in the convict cichlid fish: influence of intruder numbers and locations

Ethology Ecology & Evolution ◽

10.1080/08927014.2005.9522611 ◽

2005 ◽

Vol 17 (1) ◽

pp. 1-15 ◽

Cited By ~ 9

Author(s):

M. Richter ◽

N. Santangelo ◽

M. Itzkowitz

Keyword(s):

Cichlid Fish ◽

Convict Cichlid

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Behavioural mutagenesis in the convict cichlid fish, Cichlosoma nigrofasciatum guenther

Mutation Research/Fundamental and Molecular Mechanisms of Mutagenesis ◽

10.1016/0027-5107(72)90159-5 ◽

1972 ◽

Vol 16 (3) ◽

pp. 289-296 ◽

Cited By ~ 9

Author(s):

Sebastian Holzberg ◽

Johannes Horst Schröder

Keyword(s):

Cichlid Fish ◽

Convict Cichlid

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Serial monogamy benefits both sexes in the biparental convict cichlid

PeerJ ◽

10.7717/peerj.6535 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 7 ◽

pp. e6535 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Jennifer L. Snekser ◽

Murray Itzkowitz

Keyword(s):

Reproductive Success ◽

Brood Size ◽

Parental Behavior ◽

Convict Cichlid ◽

Costs And Benefits ◽

Serial Monogamy ◽

Convict Cichlids ◽

Amatitlania Nigrofasciata ◽

Males And Females

Monogamy can be either long-term or serial, with new pairs formed with each breeding bout. Costs and benefits are associated with each strategy. Because biparental convict cichlids (Amatitlania nigrofasciata) typically switch mates, exhibiting serial monogamy, we tested for the costs associated with forcing individuals to remain with the same mate. Convict cichlids were observed over two successive breeding bouts, either with the same or a new, equally experienced, mate. Parental behavior did not differ between breeding bouts, nor did brood size. Surprisingly, fish that remained with their original partner for a second bout took significantly longer to produce a brood compared to fish that paired with new partners. New partners were also more likely to successfully produce a second brood than re-mated partners. This is in contrast to the majority of bird studies that show many benefits to staying with the same partner for multiple broods. In convict cichlids, there seems to be no benefit associated with remaining with the same partner and switching mates reduces duration between broods for both males and females, potentially increasing overall reproductive success.

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