The male builds a nest of plant material glued with spiggin, a kidney secretion, courts females with a zigzag dance, then guards and fans the eggs and young.
Group in spring.
Cool planted tank with nesting material.
Spring warming.
Each female lays up to a few hundred eggs; several females may spawn in one nest. Eggs hatch in 7-8 days (about 18°C).
Fry take infusoria.
One breeding tank for the three-spined stickleback, drawn to scale from the breeding guide.
Water: 4–20 °C · pH 6.5–8
A plan from the breeding guide and an adult size of 8 cm. Tank shape is a standard 2 : 1 : 1.2 box, at least 6 adult lengths long. Check each step in the guide above.
A rack of breeding and grow-out tanks.
The breeding guide gives no tank size for the three-spined stickleback yet, so a business layout can't be drawn.
Breeding males turn bright blue-green with blue eyes and an orange-red throat and belly; females stay silvery.
Typical for other egg layers
See the species guide for the details.
A general guide for this breeding type. Days change with temperature and species.
See the species guide for the details.
Set up a virtual breeding tank and see what would likely happen.
An educational estimate from the breeding rules, not a promise.