Monopterus Albus - Life Cycle

Life Cycle

The Asian swamp eel is hermaphroditic. All young are females. As juvenile fish begin to mature, some take on the masculine phenotype. Males have transgendered capabilities, allowing them to replenish female populations when female densities are low. This change from one sex to another can take up to a year.

Spawning can occur throughout the year. Eggs are laid in bubble nests located in shallow waters. These bubble nests float at the water’s surface and are not attached to aquatic vegetation. Females produce up to 1,000 eggs, each, per spawning event. This characteristic is important when considering control of the invasive species. The greater the proportion of females in the population, the greater the amount of reproduction. Thus, it would be best to implement removal of the species at the juvenile stage of life cycle to obtain the largest number of the reproductive population.