koi spawning

[mountaindew]

I live in SW florida and I wanted to know when do koi and goldfish start to spawn and how will I be able to tell.Its been in the 70s for awhile now and it was in the 30s and 40s at night for awhile.It seems the golfish are chasing one certein goldfish around.Its in the 80s today

 

[DrDave]

May and June are the magic months here. Water temps in the low 70's for a week or more.

 

[RSFish1]

Here in Indiana it is usually late May, early June. From some breeders I have talked to in Florida they can get some early spawns in March. But many are still trying to spawn in may if the temperatures have been colder later than usual. I agree with the water temperatures needing to get in to the low 70's for the most part.
I think goldfish are always "Ready to go". I have some in the fish tanks inside and the males chase after the female a lot. And I have not seen any eggs.

 

[pondbuilder13]

any one know about MI (michigan) and how old do the fish have to be???????


~marino~

 

[mountaindew]

Im not sure about the spawning but I was told they have to be 12-15inches

 

[pondbuilder13]

ok so it goes by size then?

 

[DrDave]

12" is about the minimum size. They are also about 3-4 years old. There are exceptions...

 

[pondbuilder13]

ok thank you very much i dont know quite how old they are yet but i will measure them this spring when i clean out the pond

 

[RSFish1]

The only reason I can atest to the smaller ones was because of 2 incidents last May. I pulled out 2 groups of about 15 total out for sale. They were in 110 gallon water troughs. I took pictures and they were all sold to be picked up the next day. I got up the next morning and both tanks were covered in eggs. There might have been 1 or 2 at 10" and the rest were smaller. I definitely was not expecting it. They were about 15 months old.

 

[pondbuilder13]

oh wow well i don't know yet if when i get babys if i will sell them or keep them now how many usually live?

 

[RSFish1]

I read your last question and just had to laugh. I guess it's according to how many females spawn and how big they are. I once read that a female Koi can lay approximately 10,000 eggs per pound of body weight. I have no clue what the fertilization rate is. Say 25% just as a number plucked out of mid air. Now start multiplying that out for the size of the females and how many you have.

That's just what can be born. Mother nature will take many away. Others will get eaten by their Toby brothers and sisters. You will cull out even more with defects. I think from the thousands upon thousands that hatched, I have less than 200 left. I am guessing by the time I finish culling there will be well less than 100 left. And that is from 4 different spawns.

 

[koiguy1969]

mid to late june is when mine spawn here in michigan.... but mine come out of the basement pond, they dont do the outdoor winter thing so this may alter their natural schedule.

 

[pondbuilder13]

ok thank you and i guess i did word that funny but you anwsered my question i just wanted to know how many eggs they lay i guess would be the word and how many usually live

thanks,
~marino~

 

[sissy]

Can't explain where mine came from then as last year before winter I had no babies except the ones from spring and a couple of weeks ago I was out looking at my fish and there new ones there, first found 4 then a couple of days later counted 7 all black and all about an inch long or so

 

[koidaddy]

Here in St Pete mine spawn in March. Last year I had 4 survive that are very nice looking. This year I have counted about a dozen of different colors from light to dark that have survived mother nature. They are 1/4" to just over an inch long.