The fertilized eggs of the zebra doghead will hatch into zebra doghead fish larvae, also known as larvae, in about 30 minutes. The larvae stage is completed within 24 hours. At this time, the length of the larvae is about 2 mm, the color is lighter, and they do not have the ability to swim.

The larvae enter the pelleting stage within 8 hours after hatching. At this time, the body of the larvae begins to deform and prepares to enter the next stage of development. During the grain stage, the larvae will continue to divide and the number of cells will increase, but the size will not increase significantly. At this time, the body of the larvae will begin to become brighter.