Question
I've been reading up on goldfish breeding and it appears the fish in my pond are giving it a good try.  One answer I haven't been able to find is how long does spawning last?  One day, one week, a couple months?  And does a female lay eggs just once or will she lay a number of clutches over a specific period of time? I'm concerned that if she only releases eggs one time and I'm not there to get them out of the pond, the fish will end up with a great meal and I'll end up with no babies!  Any info you can give will be appreciated.

Answer
Hello Cathi,
When they begin to spawn, goldfish do so for a few days.  Also, goldfish are stimulated to spawn after a major change in the water such as increase temperatures, fresh water,etc.  The eggs will probably be attached to plants, algae, the sides of the pond or rocks.  I've had my goldfish spawn and they lay so many eggs if you have a large enough pond the fish won't possibly be able to eat them all but if you see the eggs you can remove them and put them in an aquarium until they hatch.  It will take about a year for them to get a decent size and color.  I hope this helps.
Tom