Natural koi spawning

<p><span style="font-size: small;">Koi are oviparous breeders (producing eggs that hatch outside the body). Once the females have shed the eggs the males will swim over them depositing milt (sperm). The eggs then fall to the bottom and surrounds of the pond and will stick to any object or plant matter that they come into contact with. This is due to the sticky secretion that coats the outside of the eggs. Only the strongest, but not necessarily the best will survive, and the race for survival begins immediately. As the temperatures begin to rise in the spring, the ideal being 17 deg. C (62 deg. F) or higher, the koi will spawn naturally, given ideal water conditions. They may spawn 'en masse', this is called a flock spawn and although it may produce many koi they will not be of a high quality. Although most will be perfectly healthy, the size colour and patterns will be generally poor. This is because there has been no selection of broodstock (see basic genetics above).</span></p>