Fighting can benefit both winning and losing male convict cichlid fish

Female mate choice can involve a complex assessment process which is hypothesized to have evolved in order for females to maximize their reproductive success. In this laboratory experiment, we examined the mate choices of female convict cichlids (Amatitlania nigrofasciata) (who have an extended period of mate assessment and benefit from relatively long phases of biparental care) when presented a dichotomous choice between males that they had previously observed winning or losing a fight or novel males. When winner and loser males were presented to females together, females did not show a general preference for either male, but spent substantial time alone, away from both males. When the winner male was paired with a novel male, females showed an evident preference for the winner male. Females also showed an eventual preference for the loser male when paired with a novel male, but in this case, the female spent initially more time with the novel male before shifting to the loser male. In spite of losing their initial competition, loser males were attractive to females, more so than novel males, illustrating that participation in a fight observed by a female is beneficial to the male, even if he is not ultimately victorious.

Automated summary

The laboratory experiment found that female convict cichlids showed a clear preference for males who had previously won a fight when compared to loser males and novel males. However, they eventually developed a preference for the loser male when paired with a novel male, showing that participation in a fight can make a male more attractive to females.