Egg sharing in Mouthbrooders

[tompelletier]

Has anyone ever noticed one female slipping her eggs in with another female's either of the same species or a different species in any of the mouthbrooding cichlids? I'm looking for occassions of brood parasitism, like what cuckoos and cowbirds do to other birds. I know that Synodontis multipunctatus will parasitize cichlids, but I'm wondering if cichlids parasitize other cichlids. Anyone ever seen any evidence of that?

Another clue would be fry stripped from a female of one species in a mixed species tank, turning out to grow up to be a species other than the mother.

Any information would be appreciated. Thanks,

Tom Pelletier

 

[Orion]

I haven't actualy heard of any actual parasitism in mouthbrooders. I could see it happening, but I would think it would be unlikley due to the amount of care that most cichlid's exhibit.

I could see another female who is brooding at the same time taking the eggs from another female who for what ever reason is unable to brood them herself. Colony breeding is commonly seen in cave spawning cichlids, one of the more famous for this being Neolamprologus brichardi.But I don't see any reason for this method of care could not be used by mouthbrooders.

Of course, this is only taking into account the normaly seen and exported species. There are many species yet undiscovered, and many wild behaviors still unrecorded, so it would be hard to dismiss the idea 100%.

Have you witnessed something to make you think this, or are you asking on pure curiosity? I think it is a very interesting question.

 

[Cichlid-Man]

Don't some sydontis species slip their eggs in with some malawis? Like peacocks or haps? I think i've heard of that happening before.