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The Brook Stickleback male is the guardian of the nest in the spawning process for this species. The odd mating behaviour of building a nest and combining body secretions with natural grass, fibers and algae in its construction, are solely to protect the young. To further this species uniqueness, the male mates with several females, each depositing the eggs in the nest. Then the male forces them to leave as he guards and fans the eggs.
A small fish, they grow to a length of 5 to 8 cm. The unique appearance of four to six spines on its back, with tiny bone plates replacing the traditional scales makes this fish attractive. With the preference of cold, clear water conditions, they maintain a diet of water insects, larvae, algae and other fish.
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