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Asked by kaylajames8 to Charlotte, Jo, Kevin, Louise, Valeria on 19 Jun 2012.
Question: how do fish have babies
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Kevin Mahon answered on 19 Jun 2012:
Fish reproduce from eggs. In many species, spawning (reproducing) is an event with several individuals spawn simultaenously.
Gathered in huge schools, the females expel eggs and the males discharge their milt (sperm) into the water. In some species the eggs float; in others they sink. In all species thus spawned, vast numbers of eggs and young are eaten by fish and birds or are otherwise destroyed. However, each female produces thousands, even millions, of eggs at a spawning – offsetting this risk somewhat.
Keep in mind this is a rough enough guide and given the complexity and diversity of fish species, this can obviously be different for some fish.
Comments
kaylajames8 commented on :
oh right, do any fish have sex
Kevin commented on :
The vast majority have sex where the eggs are fertilised outside the body (like 97%?)
However, a few fish practice internal fertilization, with the male using some sort of penis like clasper organ (weird, yes!) to deliver sperm into the genital opening of the female, some examples include the horn shark, and certain species of rays, such as skates