The Amur stickleback is a small East Asian freshwater fish in which the male builds a nest from water plants and guards the eggs alone. It lives in Korea, Japan, China, and the Russian Far East, and isn't found in the United States. Its closest familiar North American relative is the ninespine stickleback.
Appearance
- Appearance
- A slim fish usually about 2–2.75 in (5–7 cm) long, with a row of 7–11 small, separate spines along the back. Olive-green above and pale yellowish below.
- Seasonal forms
- Breeding males turn dark blue-black.
Where it lives
- Typical habitats
- Clear streams
- Weedy pools
- Range
- East Asia: the Korean Peninsula, Japan, northeastern China, the Amur River basin, Sakhalin, the Kuril Islands, and Kamchatka. It doesn't occur in the United States.
- Preferred conditions
- Mostly in clean, cool fresh water with plenty of aquatic plants; some populations also use brackish or coastal water.
Life cycle
- Breeding season
- April–August
- Nest
- The male gathers plant pieces into a nest, courts a female to lay her eggs inside, then guards the nest and fans fresh water over the eggs.
Conservation
- IUCN Red List
- VUVulnerableHigh risk of extinction in the wild
- Status
- It's declining because clean, plant-filled streams are being lost; in South Korea it's a nationally protected endangered species.
More species to explore
Record what you meet and build your own collection
Your photos are kept with their date and place, and you can fill regional albums one species at a time.