Stickleback fish questions

[Gamefishin]

My crazy *** bought some feeder minnows from the bait shop and I notice that I had a stickleback in there with them. He was totally different in everyway from the minnows so I decided to keep him. I never thought I'd be willing to keep a stickleback but this little guy is very interesting. Seems like their IQ is pretty high too and have a unique personality.

I started to feed him frozen brine shrimp and he's eating them well. Now just today I threw a little minnow in there with him and then to my surprise he starts attacking the minnow. I thought it was just territorial aggression but after watching more and more it seems like he's trying to kill the minnow or eat him. He's taking chunks for fins from the tail at a time and seems to be swollowing it.

So question is do sticklebacks hunt or eat other fish as a predetor? Well we'll see if the minnow is still alive by morning.

 

[guppy]

They will eat very small fish, I have had larger ones kill and pick apart small gambusia in a small tank.

 

[teleost]

The stickleback that I've collected are among the meanest fish ever! They kill other fish in the collection bucket on the streambanks, and it seems like they do it just for fun.
If they only got larger (5-10 lbs) they would certainly be a sought after sport fish.
To answer your question: they eat almost anything.

 

[Fish_are_fishfood]

Just what exactly are we talking about, threespine or the brook stickleback? And if it is the threespine, do you have him in salt or fresh?

 

[Gamefishin]

^^^it's a brook stickleback and it's freshwater.

Dam I just came back from work and looked at the minnow and holly crap. The stickleback ate both of his eyes out...

Along with about 35% of his face and all his fins. What's even more shocking to me was the minnow was still alive and tying to swim. Dam these guys are some bad ***es, too bad they don't get bigger.

I'll try to get some pics up today.

 

[Fish_are_fishfood]

^^^it's a brook stickleback and it's freshwater.

Dam I just came back from work and looked at the minnow and holly crap. The stickleback ate both of his eyes out...

Along with about 35% of his face and all his fins. What's even more shocking to me was the minnow was still alive and tying to swim. Dam these guys are some bad ***es, too bad they don't get bigger.

I'll try to get some pics up today.

Thats one nasty lil' bugga!

 

[dapike1979]

Watch for the Three spines!!

 

[Stone Like Fish]

I thought he said it wasn't a 3 spined stickle back?

Never the less, watch out for those spines* (*=if there are any)

 

[guppy]

This one? By the way, they make lousy feeders, I had a bullhead die from trying to swallow one.

 

[sandtiger]

If it can kill a bullhead it must be a lousy feeder. They are pretty cool fish though, I always keep my eye out while collecting natives or when I visiting the bait shop, I would like to own some.