Filial Cannibalism in the Swordtail Xiphophorus Helleri (Poeciliidae)

Abstract

To understand behaviour during filial cannibalism in swordtails (Xiphophorus helleri), the parturition behaviour of eight individually kept females was recorded on videotape. Three levels of female activity (low, medium and high) were quantified by measuring the duration of each. Four additional behavioural events (non-cannibalistic feeding, as well as the birth, attack and cannibalism of juveniles) were quantified by determining the frequency of each. Females gave birth most frequently at a low level of activity and at this level of activity they most often gave birth at the top of the tank. Of all the attacks by females on the young, 84.4% occurred in the light. Most attacks were recorded at the bottom of the tank and 84.0% of all cannibalism occurred at the bottom. Cannibalism was most successful at the bottom of the tank with a cannibalism:attack ratio of 1:2.2 and least successful in the middle where no cannibalism was recorded. In the light, females spent more time at the top of the tank, whereas in the dark they spent more time at the bottom. It was suggested that the rate of cannibalism might be reduced if parts of the tank were kept constantly dark and if females were restricted from reaching those areas in the tank where the frequency of cannibalism was highest, namely the top and the bottom of the tank. Experimental designs and working hypotheses for future studies are discussed.