The Nesting Site of a Piscivorous Cichlid Lepidiolamprologus profundicola as a Safety Zone for Juveniles of a Zooplanktivorous Cichlid Cyprichromis leptosoma in Lake Tanganyika

Juvenile Cyprichromis leptosoma, an endemic cichlid fish in Lake Tanganyika, form large schools near the nesting sites of the piscivorous cichlid Lepidiolamprologus profundicola. The female L. profundicola guarding the nesting site drove away piscivorous fish that approached the nest. After the disappearance of the guarding L. profundicola, the frequency of predatory dashes toward the school of juvenile C. leptosoma near the nesting site increased markedly. This suggests that juvenile C. leptosoma use the breeding territory of L. profundicola as a safety zone from their potential predators. The relationship between C. leptosoma and L. profundicola should be regarded as a type of commensalism.