• Korean Journal of Ichthyology
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.187-194
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• 2005

Feeding of the maiden goby, Pterogobius virgo and multicolorfin rainbowfish, Halichoeres poecilopterus, was studied at Kurahashi Island in the Seto Inland Sea, Japan. P. virgo foraged on only benthic invertebrates in a pit on the bottom by spot-fixed fin digging. Territory size of P. virgo was very small, because they only defended the excavated pit. H. poecilopterus frequently intruded into the feeding territory of P. virgo and fed on benthic invertebrates flushed out by the fin digging of P. virgo. Feeding activity and vigilance time of P. virgo tended to decrease significantly more in such an association than when solitary. Frequency of aggression of P. virgo when H.poecilopterus intruded into the territory was higher the intruder came from the front of the territory than when the invasion was from the side and back, regardless of the size of the intruder. In small H.poecilopterus, feeding success rate was greater from the side and back of the territory than from the front. However, similar-sized H.poecilopterus were more successful in feeding from the front and side. Feeding association provides an antipredatory benefit to P. virgo because of less alert time against predators and earlier detection of predators, although their cost is great because of territory defense and decrease of feeding activity.