This is my first post. I have been a long time fish keeper and fishermen, and I decided to save two brook sticklebacks that were put into my minnow bucket for fishing from a local store. I have them in an established 5.5 gallon tank with the other fish removed. I have a small gravel bottom, two rocks for hiding, and an airstone currently. The water temperature is about 70 degrees. Most of what I have read says they like plants and there are none currently in the tank...is this critical?
All of the fathead minnows had died in the bucket before I removed these two sticklebacks, and they were starting to gasp for air and are VERY thin. They have been in the new tank for about 2 hours and have perked up quite a bit and are swimming around but they don't appear to be in the greatest shape yet.
Any advice on helping my two new little native fish would be greatly appreciated!
Nate
Rescued two brook sticklebacks
Started by
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, May 10 2008 03:34 PM
14 replies to this topic
#2
Guest_mander_*
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Posted 10 May 2008 - 03:43 PM
I am far from an expert, but I can't imagine a home without plants. Would you want to live in a fish bowl without them? Even if they don't eat plants, they would want them for shelter. Real plants, not plastic. Plastic plants should be outlawed.
Get them some plants and some food asap!
Best of Luck!
Get them some plants and some food asap!
Best of Luck!
#3
Guest_IowaNate_*
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Posted 10 May 2008 - 04:00 PM
Sorry about quoting you twice Mander as I am still getting used to this forum's format. As for the plants I will have to use plastic for now (yes, I hate plastic as well) but the fish seem to be quite stressed still so I don't know if adding food will help. I did place three tiny floating betta pellets in the tank in case they do decide to feed.
One of the sticklebacks is now sitting in the corner on the bottom of the tank, still breathing but not looking very good. Perhaps it will not survive, but I am doing my best.
One of the sticklebacks is now sitting in the corner on the bottom of the tank, still breathing but not looking very good. Perhaps it will not survive, but I am doing my best.
#4
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Posted 10 May 2008 - 04:22 PM
Sorry about quoting you twice Mander as I am still getting used to this forum's format. As for the plants I will have to use plastic for now (yes, I hate plastic as well) but the fish seem to be quite stressed still so I don't know if adding food will help. I did place three tiny floating betta pellets in the tank in case they do decide to feed.
One of the sticklebacks is now sitting in the corner on the bottom of the tank, still breathing but not looking very good. Perhaps it will not survive, but I am doing my best.
I don't even know you, and I think you're very sweet.
I love my local tropical store so much, it's hard not to say, "Well, just run down to World of Wet Pets and ask Eric....."
If they are emaciated, which they are from your description, I doubt they'd be able to digest betta pellets. Get on the phone and call around, see what the fish stores in your area advise. Maybe lettuce leaf? zucchini? bloodworms? wild fish aren't necessarily going to recognize dried food as being food.
I would probably turn off any lights that are directly on the tank. Sometimes darkness can be very soothing.
Good luck!
#5
Guest_IowaNate_*
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Posted 10 May 2008 - 04:38 PM
UGH!!!! The one stickleback is now on it's side and barely breathing, I am pretty sure it won't make it through the next few hours. But the other is swimming around very well and seems to enjoy being out of the styrofoam minnow death bucket. I am so sad that I didn't notice the sticklebacks in the bucket sooner to transfer them into a better tank.
#6
Guest_teleost_*
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Posted 10 May 2008 - 04:38 PM
Welcome IowaNate!
Brook Stickleback are really a neat fish. I like to keep them with live java moss since I always find them in slow moving vegetated streams in the wild. If java moss hard for you to find, just about any easily cultivated plant (hornwort) will do fine. Since you have plastic plants handy, they'll do just fine for cover.
In my opinion, Brook stickleback can be rather picky about feeds. I could only get my fish to accept live foods with regularity (brine shrimp and blood worms). I agree with Mander about the lights. If you feel the fish are stressed, turning the lights off is a good idea.
I would suggest trying live food is possible. If you don't have live, perhaps you could try frozen bloodworms. I'd keep the plastic plants in the tank and keep your eyes out for a good deal on java moss.
Brook Stickleback are really a neat fish. I like to keep them with live java moss since I always find them in slow moving vegetated streams in the wild. If java moss hard for you to find, just about any easily cultivated plant (hornwort) will do fine. Since you have plastic plants handy, they'll do just fine for cover.
In my opinion, Brook stickleback can be rather picky about feeds. I could only get my fish to accept live foods with regularity (brine shrimp and blood worms). I agree with Mander about the lights. If you feel the fish are stressed, turning the lights off is a good idea.
I would suggest trying live food is possible. If you don't have live, perhaps you could try frozen bloodworms. I'd keep the plastic plants in the tank and keep your eyes out for a good deal on java moss.
#7
Guest_FishandFire_*
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Posted 11 May 2008 - 06:51 PM
I had problems with Brook Sticklebacks when I first got them also. The only thing I could get them to eat were frozen blood worms. They almost starved before they finally took them.
#8
Guest_IowaNate_*
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Posted 11 May 2008 - 07:28 PM
Both fish passed away, and grew some crazy fungus on thier bodies within hours of thier death. Perhaps they weren't healthy to begin with, then again what can I expect from a bait shop where most of the minnows were dead in the tanks before they sold them to me.
#9
Guest_farmertodd_*
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Posted 11 May 2008 - 08:14 PM
Yeah bait rescue isn't the way to get good fish. Their guts were probably already pinched from not eating in so long. They're the quintessential snowball's chance. At least with fish shop rescues people feed them because, well, they're fish. Sorry they passed on you though.
Todd
Todd
#10
Guest_IowaNate_*
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Posted 11 May 2008 - 09:02 PM
Well, one good thing came of finding the sticklebacks in my bait bucket...the renewed interest in fish keeping. I just started cleaning and getting my old 30 gallon tank ready today to make way for a native stream tank. My 5.5 gallon is still open and full of water that was cycled by a betta.
#11
Guest_jase_*
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Posted 12 May 2008 - 09:22 AM
I caught (but didn't keep) brook sticklebacks in a stream here in VT this Spring. The stream is fairly warm and had no vegetation, so obviously they can/do live in that kind of environment. If you don't want to do live plants, a bunch of driftwood or rocks would work. They definitely need cover -- wouldn't do well in a bare tank. You would need to feed live food, at least at first I think. Very, very cool little fish.Well, one good thing came of finding the sticklebacks in my bait bucket...the renewed interest in fish keeping. I just started cleaning and getting my old 30 gallon tank ready today to make way for a native stream tank. My 5.5 gallon is still open and full of water that was cycled by a betta.
#12
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Posted 12 May 2008 - 10:21 AM
Actually, they're little a-holes. I've got 2 in my big 100 gallon with all those other fish and they RULE the elodea mat. I've been seein' a whole lot more nipped up darter tails.
Todd
Todd
#13
Guest_jase_*
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Posted 12 May 2008 - 10:34 AM
How about cool-looking? Can we agree on that? Love how they swim almost like pipefish using their fins with tiny little vibration-like strokes.Actually, they're little a-holes. I've got 2 in my big 100 gallon with all those other fish and they RULE the elodea mat. I've been seein' a whole lot more nipped up darter tails.
Todd
#14
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Posted 12 May 2008 - 11:28 AM
How about cool-looking? Can we agree on that? Love how they swim almost like pipefish using their fins with tiny little vibration-like strokes.
No argument
I just wouldn't put them in with other fishes in a small tank is all. When a fish that's less than an inch is bossing around a 5" madtom... You gotta make room for his chutzpah 
Todd
#15
Guest_butch_*
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Posted 12 May 2008 - 12:11 PM
brook stickleback are fin nippers like gambusia but not that blood thirstly. They looks like Northern Pike in mini version. The brook stickleback are better off as species tank but maybe different species of sticklebacks such as three spined or four spined sticklebacks. Someday when I get my dream fishroom, i could set up a 10gal for brook stickleback and its suited tankmates.
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