Ninespine stickleback (Pungitius pungitius)

Scientific name: Pungitius pungitius Linnaeus, 1758

The Ninespine stickleback (Pungitius pungitius) is a freshwater fish of the family Gasterosteidae. In the aquarium it needs water at 10–20°C (50–68°F).

Ninespine stickleback care at a glance

Temperature: 10–20°C (50–68°F)

Biology

Found in shallow vegetated areas of lakes, ponds, and pools of sluggish streams; sometimes in open water over sand. Marine populations found near shore and move into fresh water to spawn. There appears to be seasonal movements inshore to shallow water in the spring for spawning, and, in the fall, offshore to deep water, or even to the less saline parts of the sea, by the young and adults that survive spawning. Nerito-pelagic. Feed on small invertebrates; also on aquatic insects and their eggs and larvae. Eggs are found in nests constructed from plant material. Males build, guard and aerate the nest where the eggs are deposited. Females grow faster and live longer than do other males. Males seldom live beyond age three, due to heavy post-spawning mortality, but females may live to age five or more. When abundant, it is preyed upon by other fishes; also preyed by birds. May be used as human or dog food or as a source of oil

Source: FishBase, licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.

Species facts

Scientific name: Pungitius pungitius
Family: Gasterosteidae (Sticklebacks and tubesnouts)
Order: Gasterosteiformes (Sticklebacks and Seamoths)
Class: Actinopterygii (Ray-finned fishes)
Maximum length: 9.0
Common length: 6.5
Depth range: 110 m (361 ft)
Environment: Marine; freshwater; brackish; benthopelagic; anadromous; depth range ? - 110 m, usually 70 - 77 m
Climate: Temperate
Distribution: Circumarctic: Arctic and Atlantic drainages across Canada and Alaska, and as far south as New Jersey, USA; Pacific coast of Alaska; Great Lakes basin; also in Eurasia. Eurasia: coastal areas of northern Europe, from Netherlands to northern Russia, including southern Norway and Baltic basin. Widely distributed inland in eastern Scandinavia. Extends eastward to Siberia and Japan, but remains to be confirmed that East Asia populations are conspecific with European ones
Conservation status (IUCN): Least Concern (LC)
Threat to humans: Harmless
Uses: Fisheries: subsistence fisheries; aquarium: commercial
Resilience: Medium, minimum population doubling time 1.4 - 4.4 years (tm=1-2; tmax=5; Fec=350)