Staying skinny on the reef?

Ok, females have to do it there also,

Coral Reef Fish Starve Themselves to Maintain Social Order

"...Rather than competing for the top spot, subordinate female gobies often limit their own growth to remain non-threatening to higher-ranking fish.

Underlying this strategy of peaceful coexistence is fear of being kicked out and left to die, the researchers say.


When a subordinate goby approaches the size of a dominant, it risks being forcibly evicted from the social group. Predators quickly snatch up most females driven out of the colonies.

"We believe that eviction results in near certain death," said Marian Wong of James Cook University in Townsville, Australia.

Wong's team found that with such extreme penalties, low-ranking gobies voluntarily go on crash diets to maintain their own modest position in the social hierarchy.

"When [females] reach a size difference of approximately 5 percent relative to their immediate dominant, they suddenly cease feeding," Wong said. .."

 

Wow, thats pretty interesting. Thanks for posting

+karma

 

Cool!!!
I won't let mine starve though! Mine have to eat their whole meal before cake and ice cream!

 

WHAT?! NO PIE!?

 

hahahaha