| Main Ref. | Carpenter, K.E., 1988 |
| Mode | dioecism |
| Fertilization | external |
| Mating type | |
| Spawning frequency | |
| Spawning aggregation | Ref. |
| Batch spawner | Ref. |
| Reproductive guild |
nonguarders open water/substratum egg scatterers |
| Parental Care | none |
| Description of life cycle and mating behavior | Mating behavior observed from an aquarium include six distinguishable patterns: 1) up and down swimming; 2) courtship; 3) rushing; 4) pair spawning; 5) sperm release by sneakers; and 6) post spawning (Ref. 37529). At nearly sunset, the usual quiet pack of fish give way to spawners swimming at the surface. A male selects a female and initiates pecking and pushing of the female's abdomen with his snout. At the rushing stage, the male pushed the female forward, and the couple began to swim in a semicircle in short bursts while other 10-15 sneakers within the school joined in. The initial couple then released eggs and sperm at the surface with their abdomens facing one another. Some of the leading sneakers may also release sperm at the same spot where the initial couple spawned. After spawning, the pair with the sneakers return to the school (Ref. 37529). |
| Search for more references on reproduction | Scirus |