Environmental, social and reproductive factors influence the risk–reward trade-off in a group-living fish

Abstract Animals are faced with a fundamental risk-reward trade-off when making decisions about foraging in the presence of predation, yet little is known how social, reproductive and environmental factors mediate this trade-off. In marine environment, anemonefishes provide model system for investigating determinants risk–reward trade-offs, because they live size- sex-structured groups within protective sea anemones tentacles, feed predominantly water column where at risk predation. Furthermore, exposure to changing tides means availability planktonic food covaries their Therefore, we examined tide, sex status, eggs influenced time that Amphiprion mccullochi spent different distances from anemone, proxy effort predation risk. We found individuals significantly adjusted far close anemone depending on status eggs, these adjustments can be explained light threat sensitive behaviour. This study illustrates relative importance social intraspecific variation antipredator behaviour bolsters our understanding decision’s make balance costs benefits over temporal spatial scales.