Goldfish and close relations

In Goldfish and their close relations, spawning itself can last several hours and usually begins early in the morning. Fish gather either in pairs or, more customarily in a pond environment, in groups that frequently consist of more males than females. Preferred natural spawning sites include fine-leaved vegetation like Hornwort, fibrous roots such as those extended  into the water from pond-edge plants and even mats of blanket weed.

After much chasing, the pairs or groups of fish end up either side by side or in a bunch in the spawning medium, often with as much as half their bodies above the water surface. Sometimes they can lie virtually motionless for several minutes in this position, especially if the courtship was vigorous. More commonly, there is a great deal of splashing and jostling, during which hundreds of thousands of eggs are released and fertilized.

Some of the fish at the end of the queue, as well as juveniles that are not yet ready to spawn, will immediately begin to devour the newly-laid adhesive eggs, which represent a tasty, nutrient-rich meal.