Spawning trigger

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Spawning triggers are environmental cues that cause marine animals to breed. Most commonly they involve sudden changes in the environment, such as changes in temperature, salinity, and/or the abundance of food. Catfish of the genus Corydoras , for example, spawn immediately after heavy rain, the specific cues being an increase in water level and a decrease in temperature. When water levels rise, it allows many fish access to areas further upstream, that are better suited for reproduction, that were not previously accessible. This can be a dangerous strategy, as if they wait too long, they may get trapped in small pockets of water, and die when the levels recede.Discus will breed when the temperature goes up and there is an overabundance of food such as mosquito larvae. Many fish stock up on energy reserves to ensure they make it through this exhausting period that is very hard on their bodies, while others go without eating during the spawning process because they are so focused on their offspring.

Spawning triggers allow many fish to synchronize their breeding, making it more probable that individual fish will find a mate. In most cases, if these triggers were not present, male and female fish would not meet at the right stage and the number of offspring would be reduced. However, many fish do not respond to specific spawning triggers and will breed either constantly (e.g., guppies); at specific times of the year (e.g., grunion); or only at a certain point in their life cycle (e.g., eels). Some fish, like salmon, spend almost their whole life muaturin in the ocean, then swim many miles up their ancestral rivers into to lay their eggs, commonly dying after spawning. though most commonly associated with fish, spawning triggers also occur in bivalves [1] [2] and corals. [3]

In certain cases, aquarists can trigger spawning by duplicating the natural conditions where fish would breed. This can be done at times of the year that is not the same as typical breeding, indoors, fish can be artificially inseminated, etc. All of this is done by mimicking what conditions these fish go through, in the wild, to prepare and partake in the breeding/spawning process. As stated above, these conditions may include rainfall, water level, an abundance of food, and/or salinity of the water.

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Flexible or opportunistic breeders mate whenever the conditions of their environment become favorable. Their ability and motivation to mate are primarily independent of day-length (photoperiod) and instead rely on cues from short-term changes in local conditions like rainfall, food abundance and temperature. Another factor is the presence of suitable breeding sites, which may only form with heavy rain or other environmental changes.

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The desert pupfish is a rare species of bony fish in the family Cyprinodontidae. It is a small fish, typically less than 7.62 cm (3 in) in length. Males are generally larger than females, and have bright-blue coloration, while females and juveniles are silvery or tan. A notable attribute of the desert pupfish is their ability to survive in environments of extreme salinity, pH, and temperature, and low oxygen content. The desert pupfish mates in a characteristic fashion, wherein compatible males and females will come in contact and collectively jerk in an s-shape. Each jerk typically produces a single egg that is fertilized by the male and deposited in his territory. Breeding behavior includes aggressive arena-breeding and more docile consort-pair breeding.

The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to fish:

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References

  1. Bernard, I; Massabuau, J-C; Ciret, P.; Sow, M; Sottolichio, A.; Pouvreau, S; Tran, D (2016). "In situ spawning in a marine broadcast spawner, the Pacific oyster Crassostrea Gigas: Timing and environmental triggers". Limnology and Oceanography. 61 (2): 635–647. Bibcode:2016LimOc..61..635B. doi: 10.1002/lno.10240 . JSTOR   26628439. S2CID   53463761.
  2. Reuter, Kim E.; Levitan, Don R. (2010). "Influence of Sperm and Phytoplankton on Spawning in the Echinoid Lytechinus variegatus". The Biological Bulletin. 219 (3): 198–206. doi:10.1086/BBLv219n3p198. PMID   21183441. S2CID   16637278.
  3. Mullius, Susan (12 March 2011). "Blue twilight may trigger spawning". Science News. 179 (6): 10. doi:10.1002/scin.5591790609 . Retrieved 13 March 2021.