60 ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY BULLETIN 
COMMON GOLDFISH 
Photograph by H. V. Letkemann. 
when, on being returned to the males, they 
spawned normally, the operation seeming to 
hasten the process. 
They naturally spawn in spring and summer, 
and the young of a May spawning are hardier 
than those produced by forced spawning earlier 
in the spring, which is accomplished by raising 
the temperature of the water. They spawn sev- 
eral times in a season, from March to July, 
or May to September. 
Some breeders separate the sexes in January 
or February in order that the females may be 
rested for the spawning season, the males be- 
ing likely to drive them about before that time. 
Driving may look like play, but is exhausting 
to a driven fish, which may soon be reduced 
through nervous excitement, to a gasping, pros- 
trated condition. Mere chasing away from the 
site of food, however, must not be confused with 
driving. Goldfishes and killifishes, mud min- 
nows and others, are prone to greediness, and 
chase off their companions from a prospective 
meal, and jealously drive them around even af- 
ter the food is gone. Some of them, like turtles, 
would rather pull the food out of a neighbor's 
VEIL-TAIL GOLDFISH 
Bade. 
Photograph by Dr. E. 
mouth than help themselves, so great is their 
anxiety to secure the first morsel their eye lights 
upon. 
The signal that spawning is about to com- 
mence is conveyed by the males beginning to 
drive the females about the tank persistently 
and vigorously. When this begins, spawning 
may be expected in the early hours of the fol- 
lowing morning. 
The fishes may be allowed to remain in their 
customary tank and the eggs removed later; or 
they may be transferred to another tank espe- 
cially prepared with plants to catch the eggs. 
After they have begun to spawn they will con- 
tinue spawning when placed in another tank. 
The eggs are adhesive and become attached to 
the plants on which they fall, Myriophyllum, 
water cress and water hyacinth roots being pre- 
ferred by breeders for this purpose. The Jap- 
anese also use willow roots. 
The parents will immediately eat such eggs 
as fall to the bottom, and if allowed to remain 
with the other eggs will consume them also. It 
is thought good policy to permit them to eat a 
few for stimulant. 
The spawning usually proceeds from daylight 
till the middle of the morning, though some 
specimens spawn in the afternoon. 
From ten to fifty eggs are laid at a time, with 
intervals of rest, until all are spawned. Five 
hundred or more may be laid in one day. 
Dr. Hugh M. Smith estimates that at two 
years of age the goldfish lays 2,000 eggs; at 
three years 25,000; at four and five years 70,- 
000. At each spawning the eggs are laid in 
from three to ten lots during eight or ten days, 
the first laid being the best, the last most likely 
to be infertile. 
The receptacle containing the eggs should be 
placed in a strong light or where the sun will 
strike it for a short time each day. They hatch 
in from three to six days at a temperature of 
from 60 degrees to 70 degrees, in less time if 
the temperature is higher. In cold water they 
do not hatch for two weeks. 
The eggs are about one-sixteenth of an inch 
in diameter, and when fertilized resemble tiny 
bubbles, transparent or temporarily tinged with 
amber. On the second or third day, two tiny 
black spots appear, and they are now popularly 
called After the eyes appear, 
hatching is practically assured. The unfertil- 
ized eggs or those attacked by fungus, turn 
white and should be removed as speedily as may 
be. 
Great care must be taken, in transferring the 
eges and young, to place them in water of the 
“eyed eggs.” 
