• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.33 no.3 s.91
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• pp.282-294
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• 2000

The reproductive ecology and the early life history of Macropodus chinensis were investigated in aquarium. Mature male made the bubble nest and spawned with wrapping the female and reverse posture. The parental male protected the offspring until the larvae depart the bubble nest. Egg productivity and egg hatching rate were the highest at water temperature in $28^{\circ}C$ and $26^{\circ}C$ respectivity than any other artificial temperature. The eggs were buoyant, globular and 0.95${\sim}$1.05 mm in diameter. Cleavage was progressed at intervals of 15 minutes. Eggs hatched in 42${\sim}$44hours after fertilization and the newly hatched larvae were 3.0${\sim}$3.2 mm in total length. The lawae were 4.5${\sim}$5.4 mm in 4${\sim}$5 days after hatching and fed on the food with dispersion from the nest. In 40${\sim}$45 days after hatching, all fin rays completely developed, and juveniles reached 18.2${\sim}$23.5 mm in total length. In 90${\sim}$110 days after hatching, body from of young fishes were similar to adult with 37.4${\sim}$48.2 mm and represented secondary sexual characters longer than 45.0 mm in total length, and about 120 days, fishes began spawning(water temperature for ontogenesis: $26.0{\pm} 1^{\circ}C$).