How often do Goldfish lay eggs?

[420benz]

That is the question.

 

[addy1]

I am not sure how often one fish will spawn, but I know I have seen spawning type movement in my pond through the month of August, sometimes September.
I just watched them inhale a bunch of eggs about a week ago. They went crazy.

 

[j.w]

I have never seen any eggs but I do see them chasing starting in the Spring and all through Summer. Once in awhile now I see a baby but not this year yet.

 

[420benz]

Thanks

 

[CometKeith]

That is the question.

I'm sure you know this but goldfish don't actually lay eggs. The eggs get pushed out by the male by squeezing the female against a hard surface and then fertilizes them. If you see a lot of different looking bubbles in your pond close together most likely it's from spawning and a sure sign your fish are still producing eggs. I just saw some the other day. There are a lot of things that promote breeding like temperature change and changes in the water chemistry. For some reason I never see any fry and then late August and September I see all these 1-1.5 inch babies. Now they are brave enough to swim with the other fish!

 

[addy1]

Mine are still chasing, I watched a bunch of pushing and bumping yesterday. Then the fish go crazy inhaling the eggs.

 

[Lisak1]

More often than one might wish! They are prolific breeders and the mood strikes them whenever. Like @CometKeith said - water changes, temperature changes, lots of rain... just about any change can spur them to spawn.

 

[PondMomma]

I've read that spawning is typically once a month during spring and summer.

 

[addy1]

I've read that spawning is typically once a month during spring and summer.

Could be but also daily if you have a good amount of females in the pond............................ and boys chasing them.

 

[WaterGardener]

My fish just spawned for 5 days in a row, then took two days off and are now on day 2 of the second cycle. Mind you, there are a lot of fish in the pond, so I don't know exactly which females are depositing eggs.

This is pretty much the norm around here until the end of August or into September. There are always several days of spawning, followed by a couple of quiet days, then back to spawning.

I may have to watch a couple of specific females and see how often they are the targets of the males. I'll get back to you on that.

 

[mrsclem]

Every chance they get!

 

[addy1]

Every chance they get!

I watch them on them on the cams, when spawning starts I quit feeding. They go crazy inhaling the eggs. Mass attack!

 

[AlyssaFish]

I'm sure you know this but goldfish don't actually lay eggs. The eggs get pushed out by the male by squeezing the female against a hard surface and then fertilizes them.

I had a female oranda goldfish quarantined in a sump tank once and found tons of unfertilized eggs in there when it was time to take her out. The females can lay the eggs on their own and don't have to be pummeled--it just increases the likelihood that a given male will be the father if he happens to be battering against her when it's time for her to lay.

There are some who think that having males decreases the chance of egg-binding (where the eggs get stuck in the female), but females still get eggbound even when there are interested males, so it's not really conclusive.

 

[Mmathis]

I’ve never witnessed spawning behavior, nor have I ever spotted eggs. I just see a few babies every now and then.

 

[WaterGardener]

Early morning is the time when mine get started and they can continue for hours. We usually have coffee by the pond in the mornings so we see it often.

 

[Lisak1]

I’ve never witnessed spawning behavior, nor have I ever spotted eggs. I just see a few babies every now and then.

Seriously?? That's crazy! You can't MISS it when our fish spawn. It goes on for hours, several days in a row. Your fish must be more modest! haha! Maybe in your hotter climate they spawn earlier in the day before it gets too hot?

 

[Mmathis]

Seriously?? That's crazy! You can't MISS it when our fish spawn. It goes on for hours, several days in a row. Your fish must be more modest! haha! Maybe in your hotter climate they spawn earlier in the day before it gets too hot?

Maybe. Our daytime temps are already hitting the 90’s.

 

[addy1]

Mine are non stop chasing, first one than another. They are getting zero food from me. All fat and happy