Abstract

Cichlid fishes are champion caregivers that protect, clean, aerate, and sometimes even feed their young. This tropical fish family’s extensive species radiation combined with great diversity in care habits make cichlids immensely useful models for studying the evolutionEvolution of parental care. In this chapter, we review the diverse ways that care is provided (~1/3 of species guard young on the ground and 2/3 mouthbrood) and the variation in …