Re: Evolutionary advantages

[Frauley/Elson <fraulels@minet.ca>]

IDMiamiBob@aol.com wrote:

> >
> That is the conventional argument.  If you follow it through, that implies
> that the folks figure the kids can't make it.  Now- Why not?  Water quality
> or food availablity are the only two factors I can think of in a tank where
> predators have been eliminated or controlled, and disease is pretty much
> eliminated.  So- whatcha gonna do about it?
> 
> But then, the other camp argues (whether they realize it or not) that the
> parents don't recognize the fry as their own progeny, or they see the fry as
> genetic competitors.  When a male lion takes over a pride, he kills all the
> cubs in the pride.  Why?  Two reasons have been presented- It brings the
> females into estres, and it dedicates the entire pride to promoting the
> survival of his DNA intead of his predecessor's.

Hi everyone,
What I've been trying to get across is option three. My problem with the
conventional approaches is they assume the fish eliminates possibilities
and sizes up the picture. Now, I wish I could cite it, but I read an
article on an experiment with Hemichromis sp that showed they do
recognize their own fry, through chemistry. The recognition seemed not
to be visual, but it was conclusive. We can make a working assumption
that applies to cichlids in general, which pretty well knocks out the
second camp.

I think the fish can't size up the picture, because of its unnatural
environment. It can't evaluate the lack of predators, in its heightened
state of broodcare stress. A fishes' line of vision doesn'r end at the
glass, and my pure speculation is some pairs basically lose it, faced
with the water, decoration, big room, the stimuli, tankmates etc. They
have an urge to defend a territory large enough for their fry, they
can't, and the stress gets them. I base this guess on egg/fry eating,
but also partner killing. My breeding pair of njisseni always had their
own tank, heavily planted, in a low traffic corner. Three days ago, I
had to move them to a tank shared with 2 spot altispinosa and cf
gibbiceps. It was a short term move while i removed their young and
cleaned up the tank. When I went to return them to their tank last
night, I found the female killed in a cave. (Guess I'm the slow learning
animal here.) 

There was a local blue ram breeder who turned them out by the dozens a
month who showed me his set-up. The breeders were in 10 gallon tanks
with lots of potted plants. They were in a dark corner, facing a wall.
he checked the progress of things with a flashlight. The fish always
raised their own broods. 

I suppose I'm taking an environmental approach. I could be totally
wrong. But if we don't float these possibilities, how will we gwt all
these informative and interesting responses? 
-Gary


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