Here are the steps involved in the egg-laying process of shubunkins:
1. The female shubunkin becomes sexually mature at around one year of age. When she is ready to lay eggs, her abdomen will become swollen and round, and she will start to show a red "breeding bump" near her vent.
2. The male shubunkin will start to chase the female and display courtship behavior. He will swim around her in circles and nudge her with his nose.
3. When the female is ready to lay her eggs, she will find a suitable spawning site, such as a plant leaf or a piece of gravel. She will then release the eggs into the water, and the male will immediately fertilize them.
4. The fertilized eggs will adhere to the spawning site and will hatch into fry within a few days. The fry will be very small and will need to be fed specialized food until they grow larger.
The number of eggs that a shubunkin lays can vary depending on her age and size. A young shubunkin may only lay a few dozen eggs, while a mature shubunkin can lay several hundred.
Shubunkins can lay eggs multiple times during a breeding season, which typically lasts from spring to summer. However, the best time to breed shubunkins is in the spring when the water temperature is ideal for egg development.