Brook SticklebackBrook SticklebackCulaea inconstansCulaea inconstans

Lou EwingerLou Ewinger

AKA: Common Stickleback, Pinfish and Black SticklebackAKA: Common Stickleback, Pinfish and Black Stickleback

http://www.dec.state.ny.us/website/dfwmr/fish/fishspecs/brookstickleback.gif

Morone chrysops (White Bass)Morone chrysops (White Bass) David ThompsonDavid Thompson

Iowa DNRIowa DNR

Morone chrysops (White Bass)Morone chrysops (White Bass)

• Identification: Identification: Deep body strongly arched behind head; Deep body strongly arched behind head; deepest between dorsal fins; blue-gray above; silver-white deepest between dorsal fins; blue-gray above; silver-white side; yellow eye; 4 to 7 dark gray-brown stripes on silver side; yellow eye; 4 to 7 dark gray-brown stripes on silver white sidewhite side

• Formerly treated as part of the sea bass family, Formerly treated as part of the sea bass family, Serranidae, which closely resembles the Sunfish; is now in Serranidae, which closely resembles the Sunfish; is now in

the temperate bass family or Percichthydaethe temperate bass family or Percichthydae • Other namesOther names - white bass, striped bass, sand bass, bar - white bass, striped bass, sand bass, bar

fish, rock fish, gray bass, silver bass, streakerfish, rock fish, gray bass, silver bass, streaker

• Distribution: Mississippi River and lower reaches Distribution: Mississippi River and lower reaches of its tributaries, natural lakes in northwest Iowa; of its tributaries, natural lakes in northwest Iowa; St. Lawrence-Great Lakes, Hudson Bay, Miss. St. Lawrence-Great Lakes, Hudson Bay, Miss. River basins from QU to MB and south to LA, River basins from QU to MB and south to LA, also introduced into Atlantic and Gulf Coastalso introduced into Atlantic and Gulf Coast

Iowa DNRIowa DNR

• Habitat: deep, quiet pools of medium to large Habitat: deep, quiet pools of medium to large rivers and the mid-water environment of lakes rivers and the mid-water environment of lakes and reservoirs; They are most frequently found in and reservoirs; They are most frequently found in locations with sand and gravel bottoms in clear to locations with sand and gravel bottoms in clear to slightly turbid waterslightly turbid water

• Diet: fish, insects, and crustaceansDiet: fish, insects, and crustaceans• Reproduction: the freshwater species do not build Reproduction: the freshwater species do not build

nests; spawn at random in spring; give no care to nests; spawn at random in spring; give no care to the eggs or young; the number of eggs produced the eggs or young; the number of eggs produced is proportional to body sizeis proportional to body size

Michigan DNRMichigan DNR

• Conservation status: common in many Iowa’s Conservation status: common in many Iowa’s natural lakes including: Storm, North Twin, natural lakes including: Storm, North Twin, Blackhawk, East and West Okoboji, Spirit, Blackhawk, East and West Okoboji, Spirit, Minnewhasta, Upper and Lower Gar and Clear Minnewhasta, Upper and Lower Gar and Clear lakeslakes

• Recreational importance: sport fish? The season Recreational importance: sport fish? The season is open all year; the daily bag limit is 30; the is open all year; the daily bag limit is 30; the possession limit is 30; there is no minimum possession limit is 30; there is no minimum length limit (except in Big Creek)length limit (except in Big Creek)

• Other: White bass seldom live beyond 4 years Other: White bass seldom live beyond 4 years and few attain a size larger than 2 or 3 pounds; and few attain a size larger than 2 or 3 pounds; Iowa state record was 3 pounds, 14 ounces from Iowa state record was 3 pounds, 14 ounces from West Lake Okoboji in May 1972 West Lake Okoboji in May 1972

• References: References: Iowa Department of Natural Resources. 2004. Iowa DNR Fish and Fishing. Iowa Department of Natural Resources. 2004. Iowa DNR Fish and Fishing.

Available at Available at http://www.iowadnr.com/fish/iafish/whtbass.htmlhttp://www.iowadnr.com/fish/iafish/whtbass.html

Page, L.M. and B.M. Burr. 1991. Freshwater Fishes of North America North of Page, L.M. and B.M. Burr. 1991. Freshwater Fishes of North America North of Mexico. Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston.Mexico. Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston.

Eddy, S. and J.C. Underhill. 1978. How to Know the Freshwater Fishes. Third Eddy, S. and J.C. Underhill. 1978. How to Know the Freshwater Fishes. Third Edition. McGraw-Hill, Boston.Edition. McGraw-Hill, Boston.

Michigan Department of Natural Resources. 2001-2004. Available at Michigan Department of Natural Resources. 2001-2004. Available at http://www.michigan.gov/dnrhttp://www.michigan.gov/dnr

Habitat:Habitat:• Streams with moderate Streams with moderate

current and sandy or gravel current and sandy or gravel bottomsbottoms

• Small natural lakes Small natural lakes • Low turbidity, clear waterLow turbidity, clear water• Require vegetation for Require vegetation for

reproductionreproduction

http://www.dnr.state.oh.us/wildlife/Fishing/aquanotes-fishid/bstickle.htm

Identification:Identification:

•4-6 independent dorsal spines4-6 independent dorsal spines

•Very thin caudal peduncleVery thin caudal peduncle

•Threespine sticklebacks have Threespine sticklebacks have caudal peduncle keelcaudal peduncle keel

•Colors vary, usually pale yellow to Colors vary, usually pale yellow to olive green with darker splotchesolive green with darker splotches

•Only brook sticklebacks are found Only brook sticklebacks are found in Iowain Iowa

Diet:Diet: Small crustaceans, Small crustaceans, insect larvae, snails, small insect larvae, snails, small annelids, water mites, annelids, water mites, water fleas and fish eggswater fleas and fish eggs

Conservations status:Conservations status: No No special conservation status in special conservation status in Iowa. Have been introduced Iowa. Have been introduced outside of their native range outside of their native range when used as bait.when used as bait.

Distribution in Iowa:Distribution in Iowa: Northern Northern half of the statehalf of the state

Water flea/ Water flea/ daphniadaphnia

WaterWater mitemite

http://www.wdc.keystone.edu

http://lakes.chebucto.org/ZOOBENTH/biotic.htmlhttp://www.iowadnr.com/fish/iafish/stickleb.html

Reproduction:Reproduction:

• Males build a cylindrical nest of weeds held together Males build a cylindrical nest of weeds held together by kidney secretions.by kidney secretions.

• Females deposit eggs Females deposit eggs • Males protect the nest and newly hatched fryMales protect the nest and newly hatched fry• Males may spawn several timesMales may spawn several times• 40-250+ eggs 40-250+ eggs

Recreational/ Economic Recreational/ Economic and Ecological Importance:and Ecological Importance:

•Popular aquarium fishPopular aquarium fish

•Occasionally used as bait Occasionally used as bait

•Gamefish prey where Gamefish prey where abundantabundant

Lou Ewinger

Interesting Facts:Interesting Facts:

• One of the first native North American Fish to One of the first native North American Fish to become a popular aquarium fishbecome a popular aquarium fish

• Closely related to seahorsesClosely related to seahorses• Only stickleback that is strictly freshwaterOnly stickleback that is strictly freshwater• Originally the TWRA banned them from being Originally the TWRA banned them from being

imported into Tennessee. Thought the spines imported into Tennessee. Thought the spines would cause harm to game species that would cause harm to game species that attempted to ingest the fish. attempted to ingest the fish.

• Genus name, Genus name, Culaea,Culaea, is meaningless. Originally is meaningless. Originally Eucalia inconstans.Eucalia inconstans.

ReferencesReferences

Etnier, D.A. and W.C. Starnes. 1993. The Fishes of Tennessee. The University of Tennessee Etnier, D.A. and W.C. Starnes. 1993. The Fishes of Tennessee. The University of Tennessee Press, Knoxville.Press, Knoxville.

Greenhalgh, M. 1999. Freshwater Fish, The Natural History of Over 160 Native European Greenhalgh, M. 1999. Freshwater Fish, The Natural History of Over 160 Native European Species. Octopus Publishing Group Ltd, London.Species. Octopus Publishing Group Ltd, London.

Iowa Department of Natural Resources. 1994. IowaDNR Fish and Fishing. Available at Iowa Department of Natural Resources. 1994. IowaDNR Fish and Fishing. Available at http://www.iowadnr.com/fish/iafish/iafish.htm.http://www.iowadnr.com/fish/iafish/iafish.htm.

Ohio Department of Natural Resources. 2004. Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Wildlife Ohio Department of Natural Resources. 2004. Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Wildlife Division, Life History Notes: Brook Stickleback. Available at Division, Life History Notes: Brook Stickleback. Available at http://www.dnr.state.oh.us/wildlife/Fishing/aquanotes-fishid/bstickle.htm. http://www.dnr.state.oh.us/wildlife/Fishing/aquanotes-fishid/bstickle.htm.

Zim, H.S. and H.H. Shoemaker. 1956. Fishes, A Guide to Familiar American Species. Simon Zim, H.S. and H.H. Shoemaker. 1956. Fishes, A Guide to Familiar American Species. Simon and Schuster, New York.and Schuster, New York.