NANFA-- Feeding brook stickleback? was brook stickleback?

Chateau Stripmine (chateaustripmin_at_mcn.net)
Tue, 26 Sep 2000 22:00:33 -0600

I'm still trying to figure out if I can maintain brook stickleback for an
extended time. I plan to start with young of the year and hopefully avoid
as many parasites as possible.

According to the following, it appears that feeding newly hatched brine
shrimp (thoroughly separated from the shells), daphnia and fruit fly
larva/pupae might be a good diet. I'd like to include adult brine shrimp
but they just aren't available here in the wilds of Montana. Worms don't
seem to be a part of their natural diet. I'd welcome any suggestions.

Thanks
Carl Camper

choupiqu_at_wctc.net writes:

<< I have noticed this when I used to keep brook sticklebacks, they always
seemed to waste away. >>

DasArm_at_aol.com writes:
>
> That's weird; I've had mysterious stickleback deaths but the bellies
> were always full, almost looking strained to the point of nearly
> bursting. I fed them a lot of live blackworms so I assumed that was
> the cause; 'cuz it's such a rich food. I now try to feed my stickleback
> live brine shrimp as well, to clean out his intestinal tract. Daphnia
> would work as good or better as a substute for brine shrimp in this
> regard I think.
...
> Baby snails would be another good fulfilling food in this regard.

> Chateau Stripmine writes:
>
> Since sticklebacks are now believed to be related to seahorses,
> is it also possible that they need more calcium than can be
> provided by brine shrimp or worms? Also, according to Becker,
> algae is also a large part of their stomach contents. I'm
> wondering if this might be an important missing part of their
> captive diet.