Is this goldfish breeding behavior?

[wrmiller]

Does anyone know if this is goldfish breeding behavior? I have only seen this behavior first thing in the morning when I come down and turn on the room lights. It's always the same fish that is being harassed and it just so happens that she is the biggest in the tank. All of those doing the chasing have the white bumps on their gill covers so I'm assuming they are all males. I just really get concerned because they really put her through a lot of harassment. Then all at once everything goes back to normal and everyone plays happily together again.

I appreciate any comments and feedback!

 

[Andy Sager]

Typically, goldfish spawn when the temps start to rise in the springtime (when outdoors) or after a good water change where the new water is warmer than the tank water. The females are generally bigger than the males and the typical breeding ratio is at least 2 males for every female that you are trying to spawn.
As for the timing, my neighbor is a Koi farmer and he sets up his breeders in pools (in the spring) and his fish usually spawn at first light. (He's witnessed this multiple times.) This could explain your's doing it when you turn on the lights. If you are not seeing eggs, it's possible that the female is not ready yet and if the males get too much for her, you might want to consider separating the female for a while and let her "fatten up."
Hope this helps...

 

[wrmiller]

Thank you for your reply! Sorry if the video wouldn't let you watch. Somehow it got set to private. Please try again and you should be able to view it and see the behavior. I just want to know if this is mating behavior...

Thanks again!!!

 

[Andy Sager]

Actually, I didn;t even try to watch the video because your description was "spot on" Yes, this is breeding behavior as I've experienced BUT, if your males are chasing a female that is not ready to spawn, they can, eventually, wear her down and she can get sick from exhaustion. Usually, if you don't see eggs in the plants or on the glass( they are egg scatterers) by the second day of this behavior, I'd sparate the female from the rest of them and let her rest and condition (fill up with eggs) before reuniting them all together. Another thing to consider is that your males may be sexually mature but your female isn't. If this is the case, not good news for her being kept together with the males at this time. If she doesn't doesn't look full of eggs (best seen from above looking straight down at her) if it were me, I'd separate her for now. But maybe that's just me

Hope it all works out for you

 

[Cafrye]

I have a lot of gold fish in my pond; they spawn a lot in the spring and summer months.
You will usually see fish chasing each other; the male will bump the side of the female as she is going around and laying eggs and he fertilizes them right after she lays the eggs;
After they are done laying eggs then they chase around the pond again and eat as many eggs as they can find; they also eat the babies when they hatch;
In the pond I will always have a large number of babies that survive.
In a tank you may not get babies because of the size of the tank.
You could try to catch the eggs and remove them to another protected tank or put them in a baby holder that floats in the tank