From cannibal to caregiver: tracking the transition in a cichlid fish

Although the consumption of one's own offspring is often viewed as maladaptive, under some circumstances this behaviour can be a beneficial way to terminate parental care. When the costs of providing care are extremely high or the benefits of performing care are especially low, parents will sometimes cannibalize their own young, which is called filial cannibalism. This behaviour enables them to cease to care while recouping lost energy. Most …