Lake Ontario Three Spined Stickleback

[Gregoire]

I went down to the lake Ontario waterfront yesterday, and while I was dragging a large rubber lure hooked in to a few 3 spined stickle backs, and was wondering if they are invasive to Lake Ontario and if I should be contacting the MNR?

[John Bacon]

I think they are native to Lake Ontario. They are definitely known to be in the Lake.

 

http://www.ontariofishes.ca/fish_detail.php?FID=120

[Gregoire]

I have done a bit more reading. It seems like you are correct. It just struck me as odd, as I had only seen this type of minnow in salt water before yesterday. You learn something new every day. It looked like the cormorants were gorging on them.

[dave524]

Most of the Sticklebacks I've seen, we caught in minnow traps in Haliburton in streams and beaver ponds, usually pretty cool water streams some of which had Specs in them. Not sure if they were the same species though.

[Garfisher]

Most of the Sticklebacks I've seen, we caught in minnow traps in Haliburton in streams and beaver ponds, usually pretty cool water streams some of which had Specs in them. Not sure if they were the same species though.

Different species. The ones you saw would be Brook Stickleback (which usually have 5 spines). There are also Ninespine Sticklebacks, and Fourspine Sticklebacks (which are invasive but only found around Thunder Bay)