Young convict cichlids use visual information to update olfactory homing cues |
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Authors: | Brian D Wisenden Thomas P Dye |
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Institution: | (1) Biosciences Department, Minnesota State University Moorhead, Moorhead, MN 56563, USA |
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Abstract: | In this study, we tested the tendency of young cichlids to orient towards their parents using chemical cues. Convict cichlids
have biparental defence of their free-swimming young. If young become separated from their family they must rejoin their family
within minutes to have any chance of survival. Here, we used a dichotomous Y-maze to test if displaced convict cichlid young
can use chemical cues to orient to their family. First, we showed that young preferentially orient toward water taken from
their home tank versus blank water taken from a tank that contained no fish. Second, we showed that young prefer home tank
water to water from a tank containing another family of convict cichlids. In a third experiment, we placed young convict cichlids
in a small aquarium inserted within a larger aquarium. The large aquarium contained either their parents or no fish. The small
insert aquarium contained blank water from a tank that had never contained fish. After 20 min in the insert tank, young convict
cichlids were placed in the Y-maze and given a choice between either their home tank water or water from the insert tank.
Convict cichlids that did not see their parents during the 20-min conditioning period oriented strongly toward chemical cues
of their home tank water. Young that saw their parents during the 20-min conditioning period oriented strongly toward the
chemical cues of the insert tank. These data indicate that young convict cichlids use visual cues to learn and reset the smell
of “home” in less than 20 min. |
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Keywords: | Homing Chemical cues Visual cues Cichlid Parental care Learning |
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