NANFA-- brook stickleback?
R. W. Wolff (choupiqu_at_wctc.net)
Thu, 21 Sep 2000 16:34:19 -0700
I have noticed this when I used to keep brook sticklebacks, they always
seemed to waste away. There must be something in the natural water they are
getting that they dont get in an aqurium. I think it would be some kind of
food, maybe baby snails, since they are found in all water conditions in all
habitats here, I doubt it is a trace element in the water. Thanks to some
help from Robert Goldstien, he turned me on to the fact that pygmy sunfish
relish baby snails. I would venture that sticklebacks living in the same
areas ( near shore shallow weeded areas) pygmies do, although in different
regions, would eat small fresh hatched snails. Most small sunfish eat baby
snails as well as killifish and mudminnows do. Furthering the Idea that
this may be important staple for sticklebacks. it cant hurt, snails are
important in my aquariums and ponds as scavengers and algae control. I
cringe when I here about getting rid of snails in aquariums. They are
helpful to me and my fish anyways.
> The stickles are some of my favorites. They seem to hard to keep wieght
> on, even though the feed voraciously on a variety of frozen foods and live
> brine shrimp. The threespines color up in the spring and show some nest
> building behavior.
Ray
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