| Main Ref. | Trewavas, E., 1983 |
| Mode | dioecism |
| Fertilization | in mouth |
| Mating type | |
| Spawning frequency | throughout the year, but peaking once |
| Spawning aggregation | Ref. |
| Batch spawner | Ref. |
| Reproductive guild |
bearers external brooders |
| Parental Care | |
| Description of life cycle and mating behavior | Nest a saucer-shaped depression with a raised mound in the middle (Ref. 12524, 13337), made by the male in a breeding arena in shallow water down to about 4m (Ref. 54048). Females are lured to these through male courtship displays; female collects eggs in mouth after spawning and fertilisation, and moves off; mouthbrooding females may shoal together and do not feed at this time; eggs hatch after about ten days but remain in the mouth for a further few days; juveniles make short feeding sorties once the storage yolk is used up, but seldom stray far and dart into her mouth when danger threatens; after about another 10 days young are released in warm shallow water in the margins (nursery areas), where they feed independently in small shoals (Ref. 54048). Young released from mouthbrooding female are about 1cm long (Ref. 2). Female returns to the breeding arena where she spawns again (Ref. 54048). |
| Search for more references on reproduction | Scirus |