Question about a freshwater fish...

[bilbo]

There are little fishes in the local ponds that are no more than 2 inches long at best. They are referred to as "Cockies".

Just what really are these fish, what do they eat, and what might eat them?


Thanks in advance.


Bilbo.

[nightshade]

bilbo
can you say what region ?
are they juveniles or adult of the species
any idea of shape or colour/s

[katybyebye]

i looked up on the internet and found a type of fish called the cockney bream which are also known as cockies but these fish are salt water so i don't it is one of them.

[bilbo]

I'm in Preston, North West of England.

The fishes seem to be fully grown whenever I see them, at around 2 inches long - though I coould be wrong.

They move very very quickly through the water and are found around rocks or stones in shallow ponds, and in the weeds - and always seem to be close to the edge.

Seem to be gregarious.

I have seen them at the edge of canals too.

Here is a photo (sorry - had to catch it in a net just to get an image of one them!)

[nightshade]

cockie is a 3-spined stickleback gasterosteus aculeatus you can just see one of the large spines on the back,the other type has 9 v.small spines and would not be as obvious

[bilbo]

Thanks for digging for the info.

Regards.


Bilbo.

[Aquaticus]

Defiantly a 3 spined!
Anglers also refer to small perch as cockies because of their ability to erect their dorsal fin.