Pond educational resource pack

CORNWALL

Fish

The Three-spined Stickleback is extremely common, particularly in ponds, small streams and ditches. It is noted for its interesting breeding behaviour, observed in spring. The male develops a red chest and builds and defends a nest at the bottom of the water, into which he entices females to lay their eggs. Having fertilised the eggs he then guards them, fans them with his fins to keep them well oxygenated and weeds out any dead ones. Sticklebacks are predators of many small aquatic creatures. Like all fish, they have internal gills.

Various members of the carp family are common in still water as well as in slow-moving parts of rivers and streams. These include the Common Carp, Common Bream, Rudd, Roach and Goldfish. The last named is native of China, but is commonly introduced to ponds in Britain where it competes with our native wildlife. The diets of carp species include many small aquatic creatures, as well as pond weeds, algae and decaying plant and animal material in the mud.

Cornwall Biodiversity Initiative
Pond Educational Resource Pack
Key Stages 1 & 2

Cornwall Wildlife Trust
Five Acres, Allet, Truro, Cornwall, TR4 9DJ
Tel: (01872) 273939 Fax: (01872) 225476
Registered Charity Number - 214929

Web site design by Jayne Herbert, Penzance, Cornwall