Cichlid breeding strategies
A pair of catfish kampango (Bagrus meridionalis), defending their own offspring (the dark fish at the bottom of the nest) and, by default, those of various cichlid species (the light-colored specks of baby fish all around). Photo taken at Gome, Malawi.
© Cichlid Press / Ad Konings
© Cichlid Press / Ad Konings
Some males build underwater "sand-castles" to attract females
In addition to being the most species-rich family among vertebrates (all animals with backbones), and in addition to having made their lake the one with the most fish species in the world, there is still one more world record prize in the display cabinet of the Cichlidae family. This is the only family of animals with such a huge variety of feeding and breeding strategies.Peculiar and remarkable adaptations
In some of the species dwelling in areas with sandy bottoms, the male erects an underwater "sand-castle" to attract the opposite sex. Females assess the constructions, and choose a partner based on their decision. Females of several cichlid species carry their fertilized eggs in their mouths, safe from predators. After hatching, the offspring start venturing out to search for food. If approached by a predator, they quickly return into to their mother’s mouth.
Cichlids and the kampango catfish
A few cichlids rely on a catfish species called kampango (Bagrus meridionalis) to protect their young. The kampango builds a nest for its offspring, which it guards. Two weeks later, a cichlid comes and releases the young from her mouth on the edge of the kampango’s nest. The offspring of both fishes inhabit the nest simultaneously, and the kampango defends both from predators. These tiny subtenants even pay their rent, in a way. The benefit for the kampango is that if a predator attacks, it will eat the cichlid offspring first, since they are around the kampango’s young.
