Silver Perch - Spawning and Biology

Spawning and Biology

Silver perch spawn in late spring/early summer. Originally temperatures of close to 24 degrees Celsius were considered necessary but as with all Murray-Darling fish species it has become apparent that the "required" spawning temperature is flexible and that they can and do spawn at somewhat lower temperatures. Silver perch are moderately fecund (fertile), with eggs counts commonly around 200,000 to 300,000. Spawning occurs at the surface at dusk or the first few hours of night. The female sheds the eggs and the male fertilizes them in a few seconds of vigorous thrashing. The eggs are semi-buoyant and will sink without significant current, and take 24–36 hours to hatch.

Silver perch continue the trend of native fish of southeast Australia being incredibly long-lived. Longevity is a survival strategy in the often challenging Australian environment to ensure that most adults participate in at least one exceptional spawning and recruitment event, which are often linked to unusually wet La Niña years and may occur only every one or two decades. Maximum recorded age is 26 years.