ID please

predatorkeeper87

Potamotrygon
MFK Member
Sep 8, 2014
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Any ideas what this little guy is? He came in a bunch of fathead minnows

Sent from my HTC6435LVW using MonsterAquariaNetwork App

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divemaster99

Dovii
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Jan 10, 2014
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I'm going to say Brook Stickleback. That looks like 4 or 5 spines in the pic but if there's 3 it could possibly be a Threespine Stickleback.

Nice find regardless, sticklebacks are good tank fish if you have good experience with other natives. They're more challenging than say shiners or darters but I'm sure you could keep it man. Most will only eat live food (Blackworms I've heard are a good diet for them) but some can be weaned on to frozen.
 

predatorkeeper87

Potamotrygon
MFK Member
Sep 8, 2014
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I was DESPERATELY hoping my contacts where foggy and it was a walleye fry hahaha thanks dive!
it has 5 spines by the way haha
 

divemaster99

Dovii
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Jan 10, 2014
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I didn't even think about walleye. It does look a bit like a walleye fry but I doubt it is, I'll let some others chime in but I'm 99% sure that's a brook stickle. Don't be sad about it though, Sandwr species (Walleye, Sauger, Xander) aren't good aquarium specimens anyway, they just kind of mope around in the corner all day. They're beautiful fish to keep just not active.
 

predatorkeeper87

Potamotrygon
MFK Member
Sep 8, 2014
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haha you definitely nailed the ID man, I googled them, never heard of them before! Apparently its pretty common to get them with fatheads. I'll have to keep my eye out, I like the look of these guys.
 

MN_Rebel

Blue Tier VIP
MFK Member
Aug 5, 2008
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North Pole
Beware of their fin nipping. The sticklebacks are not good for community aquariums and will hounding other tankmates to death just like gambusia.
 

predatorkeeper87

Potamotrygon
MFK Member
Sep 8, 2014
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Beware of their fin nipping. The sticklebacks are not good for community aquariums and will hounding other tankmates to death just like gambusia.
pssssh he is so busy sparring with the pumpkinseed all the time that neither of them bother the other fish anymore lol.
 

Zeke

Banned
Jan 29, 2014
888
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chattavegas
Dive got it right. Stickleback. I've kept 2-3 species before but it's been 25 years ago now. Man, I am getting old!!!
 

predatorkeeper87

Potamotrygon
MFK Member
Sep 8, 2014
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hahaha well I now have 2 of them in the tank. The baitshop I get my fatheads from has given me 2 sticklebacks and a mosquitofish so far lol. Waiting for spring when I start getting baby bullheads in the mix.
 

MonsterHunterMN

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Oct 29, 2013
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Minnesota
Nice, yep it's a brook stickleback. I get them in my minnows all the time. They do have some good personality, they remind me of a sea horse. I've had one by it self in a fish bowl for over a year. They are pretty territorial, I tried to put another one in there and he just attacked it. He eats flake food and frozen food.
 
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