Spawning mostly takes place at night in the shallow inundated areas of the rivers lakes and streams. Courtship is preceded by highly aggressive encounters between males. Courtship and mating takes place in shallow waters between isolated pairs of males and females. The mating posture, a form of amplexus (the male lies in a U-shape curved around the head of the female) is held for several seconds (see figure 4). A batch of milt and eggs is released followed by a vigorous swish of the female's tail to distribute the eggs over a wide area. The pair usually rest after mating (from seconds upto several minutes) and then resume mating.
There is no parental care for ensuring the survival of the catfish offspring except by the careful choice of a suitable site. Development of eggs and larvae is rapid and the larvae are capable of swimming within 48–72 hours after fertilization.
FIGURE The courtship ritual of Clarias gariepinus.
