sexed adult pairs of 9 spined sticklebacks
1 pair ( 1 male 1 female )
between 2 and 5 cm
The 9 spined stickleback is the smallest native freshwater fish in the UK, found in most aquatic enviroments ,from large lakes and rivers to small streams ,ponds and even puddles and ditches it is highly tolerant of pollution and can be found in waters too polluted for other fish it can also be found in brackish enviroments and even in salt water, 9 spined sticklebacks live between 1 and 4 years depending on water conditions mainly temperature and availability of food and can reach a max size of 6 cm however a size of 4 cm is more common , they're tiny sizes makes them perfect for small wildlife ponds ,they are also easy to breed so you can create a self sustaining population in your pond.
Feeding: 🐛
sticklebacks are carnivorous and will eat almost any small creatures they can fit in there mouth and will even eat hydra ( hydra vulgaris ) and can help control infestations of them.
Live or frozen-
Mosquito larvae
zooplankton
Earth worms
White worm
Blood worm
Daphnia
Tubifex
Water louse
Copepods
All make good food sources ,due to there small size there is usually enough natural food in a well established pond to sustain them .
Breeding pair of 9 spined stickleback ( pungitius pungitius )
9 spined sticklebacks have an interesting breeding cycle , the breeding season starts around mid april ,male sticklebacks start to develope there breeding colouration of black eyes and black breast ,they will start to defend a small territory and build a nest made of ,leaves ,sticks ,moss ,or aquatic plants ,female sticklebacks swim through the nest depositing between 40 and 300 eggs ,the male will vigorously defend his territory from newts ,tadpoles ,water beetles aswell as other fish
