 Teleosts may spawn in the water column or , more commonly , on the substrate . Water column spawners are mostly limited to coral reefs ; the fish will rush towards the surface and release their gametes . This appears to protect the eggs from some predators and allow them to disperse widely via currents . However , they receive no parental care . Water column spawners are more likely than substrate spawners to spawn in groups . Substrate spawning commonly occurs in nests , rock crevices or even burrows . Some eggs can stick to various surfaces like rocks , plants , wood or shells . 
