Tommy Diehl, age 12, of Indianapolis, Ind., For his question;

Do goldfish lay eggs?

All fishes lay eggs and a female goldfish may lay a batch of 1000 eggs twice during the season. Many of these will not be fertilized and many will be eaten by hungry enemies. Still others will be eaten after they hatch. A few, and very few, may live 20 years and grow two feet long.

Do not expect your goldfish to breed in a cramped, plain glass bowl. The parents prefer a weedy stream or large, outdoor pond. The water should be around 60 degrees and the goofy masses of eggs are stuck to water weeds. In about nine days, the eggs hatch into midgets called fry, which measure about five to an inch. For a feta days they stay in the weeds, nourished by their egg yolks. Then the youngsters swim around in search of more solid food.