Nest defense behaviour in the Convict cichlid (Lake Xiloà, Nicaragua)

Coordinated nest defense against fry predators by a pair of Convict cichlid (Amatitlania siquia), a monogamous tropical fish species. The video was recorded in Lake Xiloà, Nicaragua. In natural environment, the eggs and young are highly vulnerable to predation from other fish species or even convict cichlids (cannibalism). Both parents perform intensive coordinated defense of the nest entrance in order to repel intruders sometimes much larger than themselves. More information about the ecological importanc
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