The shell-dwelling Cichlid fish are particularly interesting because they show complex social behavior such as extensive parental care. Our scientists have developed a unique method to study parental care by 3D printing shells through which they can see and film. This enables them to investigate how the fish build nests, care for their young as well as the mechanisms that cause the larvae to leave the shell as they get older. Together, the researchers hope to understand the complex behavior and evolution of cichlids and to gain new insights into the convergent evolution of parental care and phenotypes.
