This is plausible since a body weight increase increases fecundity. Female mango tilapia have high parental care costs, which can be thought to be separated in two parts: egg production cost and parental care cost. In experiments studying parents deserting their children, deserting was more frequent in males and females when there were higher parental care costs and males deserting was more frequent when there was a reduced benefits from parental care.[1][8][9]