spawning....

[aravenschild]

Not sure if this is the right place to ask, but what sets off goldfish spawning?

Is it the amount of daylight?
Water temp?
Availablity of food?
Some kinda cue that gravid females give off?

I got up this morning to all 14 of my fantails busily chasing each other around the pond, ( the water temp just reached 65 degrees) but when they where inside two years ago and the water temp was in the low 70's they could care less about spawning.....

Anyone have any ideas?

[miguynmkoi]

Springtime and everything falling into the right place...no pun intended 

[Julles]

The last two years, I've broken down and enlarged my pond in March, which, in South Texas is full spring, and the koi and goldfish are gravid.

Both times, the fish spawned IMMEDIATELY after going into the new pond. (like, the morning after)   I think the temperature change and water change, i.e. mild "shock" helps tip them over into spawn mode.

One female spawned, another jumped out during the flurry and died, and the third waited a week and then she spawned.