The reproduction mode of rat fish is oviparous, which is special when they reproduce and belongs to "T-type reproduction". When the rat fish mate, the male fish will keep chasing the female fish, and if the female fish does not accept their pursuit, they will not interact with them. If females accept their pursuit, they will chase each other. At this time, the male fish will stick out its genitals and expel sperm. At this time, the female fish will hold the semen discharged by the male fish with its mouth, and then look for a corner to lay eggs. Most of the places where the rat fish lay eggs are in aquatic plants, on the bottom sand, in corners and so on. When the female fish is finished, it will spray the semen in its mouth and fertilize the eggs.

Although it takes longer for rat fish to reach adulthood, their reproduction frequency is relatively high. If the breeding environment is suitable, they can breed all year round. Generally speaking, they breed once every 1-3 months and can breed 4-7 times a year. If properly raised, they can breed once a month. If breeders want them to reproduce quickly, they can provide suitable environment, so that they will recover faster and reproduce more frequently.