Thread: Crappie Egg Reabsorption

Well .... not exactly. The fish don't "decide" when "they're ready" to spawn ... water temps decide it for them. Absorption of the eggs can & does occur when the water temps get too high before the fish have a chance at spawning (or finish spawning). This has been observed at Fish Hatcheries, according to biologist Dr Hal Schramm (Crappie Now article Apr 2013).

So technically it's not JUST "by the time the fish are ready to spawn" ... but, before/during/after attempts have been made & conditions have thwarted those attempts long enough for the water temps to get so high that the eggs wouldn't survive ... that the fish would absorb the eggs. Their survival instinct tells them that it's better to put that protein back into their own body, than to make futile attempts at dropping them in water that's too warm for much of a chance for survival of the offspring.

Now, they will keep trying ... and when conditions change quickly, it can devastate the spawn. It's just those times where things happen in just such a way that the water gets too hot, too quick, and the fish don't all respond to the narrow window of opportunity to spawn, that some may not spawn (or drop ALL their eggs during that period). Those eggs will be absorbed back into the fish, so as to not waste their food value (protein).

That potential ... for conditions to not be normal or optimal for spawning ... is one reason why most spawns take place over a period of several weeks, rather than just a few days. So many things can interrupt the spawn, so not all of them try to spawn at the same time or at the exact same water temp. The more interruptions, the more chance the water temps have of getting past the safe range, and keeping the fish from spawning or finishing their spawning ... those fish will absorb whatever eggs remain.

... cp

Thanks, CrappiePappy! Very good explanation!

I have heard this and a few years ago I was told this happened at Caney Lake. There was lots of fishermen complaining of white perch having a yellow color to the flesh and too "fishy & strong" to be eaten. I don't know for fact, only told by a guy that lives there.

dang crappiepappy.....you make the rest of us feel smarter....really well explained....you a good fella.......

Crazy Coincidence: about 30 minutes after reading this yesterday a co worker stopped at my office door and started talking about the cold weather and how it would mess up the spawn...He said.."did you know fish will actually absorb the eggs back into their body?!"(He's a big time bass fisherman so he definitely didnt get that from this site...) So I engaged the conversation with my newfound information like I actually knew what I was talkin about! Thanks CrappiePappy!

Man that's some good info . You say if they water turns too warm this will happen . Say the fish are moving up getting ready to spawn and a Cold front comes instead of a warm spell . Would the fish do the same thing or would they just move deeper to spawn ?

Thanks !

Originally Posted by JiggerMan

Man that's some good info . You say if they water turns too warm this will happen . Say the fish are moving up getting ready to spawn and a Cold front comes instead of a warm spell . Would the fish do the same thing or would they just move deeper to spawn ?

Thanks !

The water would have to warm up fast, while the other conditions are unfavorable enough to keep them from trying to spawn. It don't always happen to all of the spawners, sometimes it's just the late comers that get caught by the "too warm" water temps.

As to your question about those freak cold spells ... that can contribute to delaying the spawn, but for the most part the fish will just wait it out. If it reduces the water temps in the bedding area enough ... the males may temporarily abandon the beds. But, once things started getting back to their preferred temps ... they'll likely start trying again.

Remember ... spawning is the #1 instinct of a fish. It's what keeps the species going. They're gonna keep trying until it's just not feasible for their offspring to survive. Now that's just a general statement, as there may be some that continue trying to spawn, even with the water temps well beyond the uppermost limits of survivability for the offspring. Just like some will start spawning in water temps that are below the "normal" range, so too will some keep trying when the water is well past that temp range. A "good" spawn is generally when the majority of the spawning age fish get in & out of the beds during the period where the water temps & conditions are within the most favorable range. A "poor" spawn is generally when conditions keep changing so often, over a protracted period of time, that the fish keep getting interrupted so much that the water temps get too warm, too fast, for them to have enough time to re-group and continue their duties.

And just as a matter of "correctness" ... the fish will "absorb" their eggs, not "reabsorb" them. In order for them to "reabsorb" them, they would have had to have absorbed them already & then reproduced them, in order to RE-absorb them again. Now ya'll can not only amaze your friends & co-workers with your knowledge of this fish's survival tactics, but correct their grammatical mistakes, as well

... cp