We’re thinking about moms in the aquatic world as we approach Mother’s Day on Sunday, but parenting is teamwork among some fishes, including two species of cichlids that live in rivers: quetzal cichlids of southern Mexico and Guatemala, and twinspot jewel cichlids, from West Africa. Each has fry that you can see right now in the Rivers gallery. The colorful quetzals have a swarm of tiny fry that the mom and larger dad round up on the back wall of the South America habitat. These doting cichlids give their offspring the scales off their backs, or at least skin secretions that the little ones feed on. They also herd the fry across the bottom in search of microinvertebrates. The parents crunch up larger food and regurgitate it to the babies. If any of the little ones stray on one of these outings, mom or dad will collect it in her or his mouth and spit it back into the group. You’ll also see another pair’s older offspring—several dozen inch-long fish—feeding on the bottom.
Many of the attractive twinspots in the Africa habitat were born at Shedd. The juveniles range from gray to dull orange, with the identifying black dual dots on each side. You can see the newest family in a small rock nook in the back upper left corner of the habitat. In this species, Mom is larger than Dad. The babies are tiny—like metallic gold grains of rice. Again, the parents work as a team, with one herding and sheltering the fry while the other chases potential predators, which could be other adult fish in the habitat. They take turns with responsibilities. For all the times your mom herded you in the right direction, remember her this Sunday!
And don't forget to print your Mother's Day buy-one-get-one ticket coupon
Posted by Karen Furnweger, web editor
My husband has six of the quetzal cichlids - we did not know they were called that! he calls them Paratheraps synspilus. They are cool fish!!! and very beautiful! but probably not old enough to breed yet. we look forward to seeing their parenting behavior!!
Posted by: fishwife | May 06, 2010 at 11:34 PM