The Characiformes, as defined by Fink and Fink (1981), are a major group of ostariophysean fishes confined to the freshwaters of the Neotropics and Africa. They range in size from miniature, fully mature species under 20 mm standard length (Weitzman and Vari 1988) to species such as the tambaqui (Colossoma macropomum) and the dourado (Salminus maxillosus) which attain lengths of at least one meter. Considering the diversity and commercial importance of the group, all available information concerning reproduction can be considered scarce.