Recently, a growing number of papers have been published analyzing fighting in cichlids, and they are revealing incredibly sophisticated behavior. A typical fight progresses through a series of increasingly costly stages. At any point one of the combatants may break off the fight, but if the combatants are closely matched, it will proceed through to the end. In any given fight, some of the stages may be omitted or very short in duration. A fight often starts with displaying.
Rivals spread their fins to make the body look as large as possible.
If neither is deterred, they may progress to lateral displays, also called tail-beating. Jaw-locking is dangerous because the jaws are essential for so many aspects of a cichlid's life. Jaw-locking is dangerous because the jaws are essential for so many aspects of a cichlid's life. A dislocated jaw could be a prelude to death. A partner that cannot fight is a partner that will not be able to protect the fry adequately.