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<p>Since plastics manufacturing began over 70&#xa0;years ago, their misuse and disposal has resulted in toxic contamination of natural environments. Sanitary products and bottles made of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) are the most used and discarded plastics. PET waste has been reported on all continents and in seas, rivers and lakes, representing a major environmental threat. Unlike many other types of plastic waste, PET bottles have physical characteristics that may make them viable shelters for some animals, such as cichlid fish. In this work, I report two instances of a cichlid fish that is invasive to central Mexico using PET bottles of different sizes as shelter for their offspring (fish larvae). In both cases, the females were found inside the bottle with the young, while the males performing aggressive parental care behaviors outside the bottle. My findings suggest that plastic pollution may provide a valuable resource for this invasive fish, which may have important implications for its invasion success and interactions with the native species with which it competes for breeding territories.</p>

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Invasive plastic babies: polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles are used by invasive convict cichlids as shelter for brooding young

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2025年9月20日

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  • Marco Franco

摘要

Since plastics manufacturing began over 70 years ago, their misuse and disposal has resulted in toxic contamination of natural environments. Sanitary products and bottles made of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) are the most used and discarded plastics. PET waste has been reported on all continents and in seas, rivers and lakes, representing a major environmental threat. Unlike many other types of plastic waste, PET bottles have physical characteristics that may make them viable shelters for some animals, such as cichlid fish. In this work, I report two instances of a cichlid fish that is invasive to central Mexico using PET bottles of different sizes as shelter for their offspring (fish larvae). In both cases, the females were found inside the bottle with the young, while the males performing aggressive parental care behaviors outside the bottle. My findings suggest that plastic pollution may provide a valuable resource for this invasive fish, which may have important implications for its invasion success and interactions with the native species with which it competes for breeding territories.