Rivers, lakes and oceans are inhabited by thousands of species of various creatures, including fish. Many probably heard about the stickleback. This tiny fish, having a very decent appetite, is able to transfer all other species in water bodies. She eats caviar and even fry in huge quantities. These are very interesting creatures with an unusual appearance and behavior.
What kind of stickleback fish?
The name unites a whole family of rayfish. It includes five genera and about eight species. All representatives have spikes located in front of the dorsal fin. The scales of these fish are completely absent. Not everyone has an abdominal fin and can be represented by one spine and one or two soft rays. In case of danger or when attacked by a predator, the stickleback spreads all its sharp spikes and they pierce it.
Fish loves places with a quiet course, a muddy bottom and shores overgrown with grass. Basically, all species are kept in large mobile packs. This sometimes makes fishing difficult, because with the slightest movement the whole jamb rushes onto an object that has fallen into the water.
Habitat
Stickleback is a fish adapted to various habitats. They can be marine, brackish and freshwater. So, the stickleback lives in the desalinated areas of the Azov, Caspian and Black Seas, the lower reaches of the Dnieper and some other rivers that flow into them. Three-needle and nine-needle varieties are found almost throughout Europe. In Russia, it can be seen in the rivers flowing into the White and Baltic Sea, as well as in the lakes of the Leningrad Region. Sea stick - coastal fish. It is found in Western Europe on the rocky shores of the Bay of Biscay and the Gulf of Finland, in northern Norway and in the Baltic Sea.
Breeding
The stickleback spawns in early spring (April-May), and at this time its coloration acquires brighter shades. Spawning continues for a month, and for a nine-spawner, until the end of July. This is a fairly prolific fish. The stickleback builds a nest at the bottom, the male does this. Initially, he tears out a hole, collecting sand in his mouth and carefully putting it to the side. Then it brings various blades of grass and pieces of algae, and with the help of mucus secreted on the sides of the body, glues everything into a tight lump in which the tunnel breaks through. In the finished form, in a three-needle stickleback, the nest is practically buried in silt (pictured), and in a nine-needle stick it is fixed on plants with which it merges by color. The dimensions of such a dwelling are on average with a male fist.
The male invites the female to the nest, there she lays eggs (100-120 pcs.), And then the partner “kicks her out”. After fertilization, he guards the nest, and then the fry for 10-14 days. Thorn is a fish whose offspring are constantly at risk from their own parents. First, the female is quite capable of eating caviar, and then the male, after guarding, can swallow several fry. It is noteworthy that at the time of spawning, his esophagus overgrows.
Three-spined stickleback fish
It got its name thanks to the thorns located on the back, there are only three of them (this can be seen in the photo). The spikes have different sizes. Bone plates (24-30 pieces) are located on the sides of the body, they, in fact, replace the scales. They can also be seen on the back, where they are located up to the caudal fin from the back of the head. The size of adult fish is 5-6 cm in length. The sides and belly have a silver color, and the back is greenish-brown. Two types of fish are distinguished: freshwater and migratory. Most individuals of the first type die after spawning.
Despite its small size, the stickleback is an extremely gluttonous fish. In the ponds where she lives, it can be difficult to breed any other species. The diet of the stickleback is quite diverse - from zoo and phytoplankton to benthos (crustaceans, larvae, worms). In addition, fish uses airborne insects, larvae, eggs, and even fry of other underwater inhabitants. As already mentioned, even your own offspring can be used.
Economic value
Previously, this small fish was hunted in the Baltic, White and Azov Seas, as well as in Kamchatka. From it received fish oil and high-quality feed flour. In addition, stickleback was used as animal feed, and also as a fertilizer for fields. In besieged Leningrad, carotenoid-rich fish oil was used in hospitals to treat wounds and treat burns.
At present, stickleback is a fish whose economic value is very insignificant. She eats absolutely everything, thereby exerting a negative impact on the offspring of valuable commercial breeds.
Small southern stickleback
Salt-water or fresh-water benthic species reaches 6 cm in length. Such a fish is widespread in Asia, Europe, there is an isolated population in Greece - the basin of the Aljakmon and Vardar rivers. The stickleback is kept, as a rule, in low-flow areas rich in vegetation. The body of the fish is high and compressed on the sides. The color is brown-green, and the belly is silver, sometimes with a yellowish tinge. Stripes and spots are scattered throughout the body, creating the impression of a marble pattern.
Nine-needle stickleback
The view is not much larger than the previous one (length - bodies 5-7 cm). Regardless of the size of an adult stickleback fish, it has no commercial or economic value. This species has a flattened side and an elongated body, as well as large eyes (in the second photo). The back can have a gray-greenish color up to a brown shade, the belly - light silver. The color changes in males during spawning. The belly and sides become black, and the thorns become white. This is a migratory species common in the Atlantic, Arctic and Pacific Oceans, in the Great Lakes basin.
If we talk about what stickleback fish are afraid of, it is worth mentioning freshwater (perch, pike, pikeperch, catfish, burbot, chub) and marine (herring, herring, gobies, etc.) predators. They can also eat snakes, marsh turtles, frogs, birds of prey and some mammals. It all depends on the habitat.
Stickleback
The second name is fifteen. It is characterized by the presence of 14 to 16 small spines on the back. The body of the fish has a slender, spindle-shaped, with a thin and long tail stem. The back is greenish-brown, and the sides are golden. Of interest is the color of the males during spawning - they turn blue. The size of an adult reaches up to 20 cm in length. The behavior is more isolated - they do not gather in flocks, unlike other species.
Brood stickleback
Distributed in small rivers and lakes in the north of the United States. It has from 4 to 6 (most often 5) spines in front of the dorsal fin. It grows up to 6 cm in length. It is quite active and numerous. Males during the mating season change their ordinary color to bright red. The rest of the habits and the characteristic way of behavior with the offspring are the same as in the three-spined stickleback.
