Missouri Department of Conservation. Jefferson City, Missouri. Very little is known about the life cycle of the Ozark cavefish. Spring floods probably trigger spawning , which occurs from February to April when waters are high. Females probably produce about 20 eggs, which are collected in the female's mouth and then shifted to their gill cavities.
Eggs remain in the gill cavities until they hatch four to five months later.
Ozark cavefish have a low reproductive rate. Ozark cavefish feed on plankton, isopods, amphipods, crayfish, salamander larvae, and bat guano. Caves have a limited supply of food and nutrients, so the cavefish depends on resources brought in from the outside. Leaf litter, sticks, and bat guano are important sources of nutrients in a cave's ecosystem. Ozark cavefish are often found near bat roosting areas.