Eels reproduce sexually
Most eels migrate to the ocean to spawn
Adults release eggs and sperm into open water
Fertilization usually happens externally
Eggs hatch into leaf-shaped larvae called leptocephali
Larvae drift with ocean currents
Larvae transform into glass eels
Glass eels grow into elvers and then adults
Many eel species reproduce only once and then die
The exact spawning behavior of some eel species is still not fully known