Effects of Parent and Offspring Food Rations On Parental Care in the Convict Cichlid Fish (Pisces, Cichlidae)

Behaviour ◽  
1994 ◽  
Vol 129 (1-2) ◽  
pp. 63-77 ◽  
Author(s):  
James D. Kieffer ◽  
Robert J. Lavery
Keyword(s):  
Parental Care ◽  
Environmental Conditions ◽  
Food Supply ◽  
Cichlid Fish ◽  
Food Abundance ◽  
Convict Cichlid ◽  
Cichlasoma Nigrofasciatum ◽  
Convict Cichlids ◽  
More Care

AbstractAnimals may provide more care for their young under certain environmental conditions. For instance, if food is plentiful parents may invest more in the current brood than if food is scarce, assuming that food abundance is correlated with parent and offspring condition. In this experiment, we manipulated food levels (low vs high) for both parents and offspring to determine if parental care is influenced by parental and/or offspring condition in the convict cichlid, Cichlasoma nigrofasciatum. Parents which were fed a higher ration gained weight, whereas parents fed a lower ration lost weight. Similarly, young which were fed a higher ration were significantly larger than young fed a lower ration. Parents which were fed a higher ration defended their brood more vigorously than parents fed a lower ration. Offspring condition had little effect on parental care. Furthermore, females consistently invested more than males. The results show that parental convict cichlids adjust care in response to their own food supply rather than that of their offspring.

The Effects of a Trade-Off Between Foraging and Brood Defense On Parental Behaviour in the Convict Cichlid Fish, Cichlasoma Nigrofasciatum

Behaviour ◽  
1992 ◽  
Vol 120 (1-2) ◽  
pp. 123-138 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert W. Rangeley ◽  
JEAN-GUY J. Godin
Keyword(s):  
Cichlid Fish ◽  
Net Energy ◽  
Activity Levels ◽  
Parental Effort ◽  
Trade Off ◽  
Cichlasoma Nigrofasciatum ◽  
Investment Theory ◽  
Convict Cichlids ◽  
Brood Defense ◽  
Energy Gains

AbstractParental convict cichlids, Cichlasoma nigrofasciatum, responded to the presence of a potential brood predator by decreasing net energy gains (food intake decreased and energy expenditure increased) while increasing parental effort (large allocation of time to brood defense). These behaviours are important factors in the life-history trade-off between current and future reproductive investments. The allocation of energy into defense behaviours and elevated activity levels, combined with a voluntary reduction of food consumption, represent an investment in the current brood which could (in nature) reduce future reproduction. Contrary to parental investment theory predictions, consistent increases in parental effort with brood age were not evident.

Weight asymmetry and sequential assessment in convict cichlid contests

1993 ◽  
Vol 71 (3) ◽  
pp. 475-479 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marten A. Koops ◽  
James W. A. Grant
Keyword(s):  
Weight Ratio ◽  
Assessment Model ◽  
Convict Cichlid ◽  
Cichlasoma Nigrofasciatum ◽  
Convict Cichlids ◽  
Temporal Overlap

We staged contests between pairs of convict cichlids (Cichlasoma nigrofasciatum) that varied in weight ratio (larger/smaller) from 1.02 to 4.86 to test the predictions of the sequential assessment model. As predicted, contests proceeded in a consistent sequence of behaviour (lateral display, biting, mouth wrestling, and circling), the duration of contests was inversely correlated with weight ratio, and the duration of complete phases of behaviour was independent of weight ratio (a phase is complete if the contest escalates to the next behavioural phase). However, there was temporal overlap in the occurrence of different behaviour patterns and variation in the duration of contests that are not explained by the model. Nevertheless, the structure of convict cichlid contests is consistent with the logic of the sequential assessment model.

Filial Imprinting in the Convict Cichlid Fish Cichlasoma Nigrofasciatum

Behaviour ◽  
1978 ◽  
Vol 65 (1-2) ◽  
pp. 138-160 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hay Thomas F.
Keyword(s):  
Laboratory Experiments ◽  
Natural Populations ◽  
Cichlid Fish ◽  
Preference Test ◽  
Convict Cichlid ◽  
General Increase ◽  
Free Swimming ◽  
Cichlasoma Nigrofasciatum ◽  
Precocial Birds ◽  
Extended Parental Care

The convict cichlid fish, Cichlasoma nigrofasciatum, exhibits extended parental care in both the laboratory and the field. Families of this species were observed in Lake Xiloa', Nicaragua, during part of the breeding season. Young fry (less than 5 days free swimming) could be induced to follow a variety of "dummy" parents when their own parents were restrained at a distance. Older fry fled the dummies in the same manner as they fled predators. Two laboratory experiments were conducted to analyze further the responses of convict cichlid fry to parental dummies. Experiment I demonstrated the following: 1. Fry showed consistent preferences in tests with 5 pairs of mechanically moved dummies. Some of these preferences involve species characteristic cues. 2. Responsiveness to dummies increased over time within a test and over repeated tests. Responsiveness changed non-monotonically with age; those tested at 1 to 3 days free swimming were most responsive, 6 to 8 day old fry were least responsive and 14 to 16 day old fry showed intermediate responsiveness. 3. Preferences were weaker in the older, less responsive fry but were generally in the same direction as in younger fry. Experiment II tested the effects of experience with a particular dummy on the preferences demonstrated in Experiment I. For all ages and for most dummy pairs there was a significant interaction between training condition (preferred vs non-preferred dummy) and preference. Experience with a single dummy also resulted in a general increase in responsiveness to the two dummies in the preference test. The present results are discussed in terms of selection pressures presumed to operate on natural populations of C. nigrofasciatum and also in terms of research on "imprinting" in precocial birds.

Breeding territoriality and pair formation in the convict cichlid (Cichlasoma nigrofasciatum; Pisces, Cichlidae)

1993 ◽  
Vol 71 (5) ◽  
pp. 960-967 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert W. Mackereth ◽  
Miles H. A. Keenleyside
Keyword(s):  
Parental Investment ◽  
Pair Formation ◽  
Convict Cichlid ◽  
Male And Female ◽  
Cichlasoma Nigrofasciatum ◽  
Cichlid Fishes ◽  
Breeding Territory ◽  
Convict Cichlids ◽  
Investment Patterns ◽  
Spawning Sites

In many biparental species a sex difference in parental investment in a brood before fertilization, such as establishing a breeding territory or preparing a nest, may be an important component of the overall pattern of parental investment. Prefertilization investment patterns have been described for several species of biparental cichlid fishes, but there are discrepancies in the descriptions for the convict cichlid, Cichlasoma nigrofasciatum. This study describes quantitatively the prespawning behaviour of male and female convict cichlids and examines the influence on their behaviour of limiting the number of available spawning sites. The results indicate that pair formation begins several days before spawning when the female begins to follow a male and chase other females away from him. The pair then begins to spend more time in a smaller area where spawning eventually occurs. The breeding territory is usually established by the pair on the day of spawning. There was little difference in the pattern of prespawning behaviour offish with abundant versus limited spawning sites. It appears that neither sex will establish a territory until the female is ready to spawn and the pair has formed.

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