Meeting with Brook Stickleback
Dae-Min Kim
I don't remember why I desperately wanted to invite brook sticklebacks to my empty 10-gallon fishtank. The fishtank was a home for my third cutie, Bally, a baby goldfish(in Ranchu formation). That ball-looking baby fish is now living in the office of Vinnie(a very nice Ph.D student) and every students in the lab says Vinnie loves my Bally so much. Vinnie once e-mailed me saying he wants me to take Bally back but I still doubt it may be for real. But I know, although Vinnie loves my fish so much and desire to be with Bally for a long time, he may feel something like that I am still keeping the Ali G Show DVDs borrowed from Brett several months ago. Of course I like Ali G Shows and sometimes I enjoy watching them with my old friend, beer, but I am unhappy to see the DVDs to get covered with dust in these days.
* Vinnie
Before two out of three stickleback specis(Pungitius sinensis and P. kaibarae) were, in South Korea, listed on the Endangered Wildlife of South Korea 2005, I had raised them several times at home watching their nesting, courtship behavior, and eventually hatchlings. Their beauty and interesting ecology in fishtanks are unforgettable. In Minnesota, however, the status of brook stickleback population is secure and the species seems to be common in creeks and ponds around the Twin Cities. According to Vinnie, the brook stickleback is actually common and easy to catch in Minnesota. So, I am probably freely to keep them at home.
Everyone in Dr. Simons lab says I cannot bring the fish, I collect in nature, with me without permission, whereas the Minnesota Fishing 2008 Regulations published by MN DNR(Minnesota Department of Natural Resources) says "A DNR permit* is required to possess more than 24 dozen minnows or leeches; to sell, export or import; or to take minnows or leeches from designated trout waters." Well, in this situation, I simply would better not bring anything I collect. The easiest and cheapest way to get brook sticklebacks must be collecting them from Rice Creek in Anoka County. However, since I do not know how the difference between the lab and the MN DNR is caused and all surface waters of Minnesota is completely frozen, I decided to go to the Chisago City in Washington County, eastern Minnesota.
The last year, when I thought freshwater fishes in the U.S. need some more to be cool, I used to go to the Stillwater and sit on the St.Croix River shore thinking nothing. One day, I did not stop at the Stillwater and just kept driving northward to find something new. There were lots of calm lakes surrounded by pine forests and nice farmlands. I stopped by a gas station and ask a guy who works there where I am. He answered "Chisago City". There was a small live bait section in the gas station and I found many brook sticklebacks were swimming with fathead minnows and golden shiners. I wondered what fish the brook sticklebacks can attract.
The Chisago City is so small that I could easily find the same gas station as where I found sticklebacks.
* Roseville to Chisago City, MN(34.0 miles). Google Maps.
However, the most terrible situation I expected was occured: The gas station was closed! It seemed to take for a while to be reopened. While I was looking for "Live Bait" like signs, I found a gas station with a couple of huge and colorful "Live Bait" sign that seems to be made by a 20~30 year-old boating lover. Although I holded only a bottle of soda when I was out of the gas station, I got an important and valuable news from a guy who works there(actually, who looks like a 20~30 year old boating lover). What the potential boating lover said is boiled down to: I can find everything in Frankie's and the Frankie's is two blocks away from here.
I finally found the Frankie's and it was just amazing that the store looks have "everything" although it looks too small to do so.
* The Frankie's in Chisago City, MN.
There were several people in there who seem to be professional to angling or boating. I asked the most professional looking gentleman if he has sticklebacks for sale. Luckly, he was one of store owners and he was amazingly professional to pick up only four brook sticklebacks from literally "hundreds" of fathead minnows. It took less than even 30 seconds. Immediately after looking at a water beetle swimming alone in an empty tank wondering what fish the water beetle can attract, I said to the owner that he must be an expert on any outdoor activities. He said "you can have that....for free..that's cool in fishtank..doesn't bite fish" instead of "thank you" or something like that.
The 10-gallon fishtank was already fully set with a bottom filter, white coarse sand, a stone and some fake macrophytes. On my way back home, I stopped by PetSmart and bought a pack of frozen bloodworm. The sticklebacks began to feed on bloodworms 5 days later. I feed them frozen and dried bloodworms once or twice a day. Everytime I feed them, I have used a pair of shabby chopstick brought with my 08' Halloween costums. Now sticklebacks have their eyes glued on the chopstick, so I don't place it where sticklebacks can see.
I will post something new whenever I get from sticklebacks.
* view of Minneapolis from the PetSmart
* the stickleback aquarium at home