Fecundity and Spawning Frequency of Caged Bluntnose Minnows–Fractional Spawners

Abstract Eleven pairs of bluntnose minnows Pimephales notatus produced from 7 to 19 clutches of eggs between May 27 and August 28. Clutches ranged in size from 5 to 547 eggs. Average clutch size ranged from 93 to 239. The total number of eggs spawned per pair ranged from 1,112 to 4,195 (mean = 2,396). Intervals between spawning sessions (clutches) ranged from 2 to 14 days (mean = 5.3; mode = 5). Spawning usually occurred at night. Received August 5, 1982 Accepted February 25, 1983