Intraspecific brood adoption in the convict cichlid with respect to fry of two colour morphs

Convict cichlid Cichlasoma nigrofasciatum adults of the melanistic morph usually accepted fry of the same colour morph provided these were of approximately the same age and size as those of the receiver pair, whereas older and considerably younger fry were rejected or eaten. Xanthoric fry were usually accepted and rejected to the same extent as fry of their own colour morph. However, in certain combinations, especially when alien fry were 3 weeks old and the adopting parents already had their own 2 week old fry, fry of their own colour morph were significantly more likely to be adopted.