Sticklebacks in a wildlife pond

[Lizardofodd]

I've just dug myself a wildlife pond in the garden which will eventually have frog and toad spawn introduced it. I think it's large enough to also accommodate a number of sticklebacks. Is there anybody out there in the south Wales area that might have a few sticklebacks they could spare?

[ollyk]

I would personally not add sticklebacks to a garden pond, and definately not if it isn't mature!

[Monkey Orchid]

Hi, Lizardofodd.

Sticklebacks will prey on everything smaller than themselves, so if you want a good range of aquatic wildlife I really wouldn't introduce them to your pond. They will certainly eat frog, toad and newt tadpoles.

I used to work in a local nature reserve in an urban park: we had a very large pond with a good range of amphibians and aquatic invertebrates, but thanks to people 'introducing' sticklebacks to the pond (i.e. dumping them in after catching them in a nearby river) the biodiversity noticeably suffered. Every time I did pond dipping with school groups and we caught any sticklebacks, I made a point of returning them to the river.

I would suggest that you don't introduce frog or toad spawn to your pond, either. When we made our small garden pond the frogs turned up of their own accord within a couple of months. It's kind of like that Kevin Costner film, Field Of Dreams - "If you build it, he will come"! Wildlife will take advantage of habitats that appear, as long as they are suitable for their requirements. If the habitat isn't suitable, introducing them will do no good as they won't survive there and will either die or move away. Froglife discourage moving frogspawn from one pond to another as this can spread amphibian diseases and invasive plants... And when the tadpoles become adults they may well migrate back to the pond they were born in anyway. For more info, check out their website:

Froglife - advice

This is the link to their Frequently Asked Questions page, but their advice sheets are really useful too.

Hope this is useful!

[Lizardofodd]

Thanks for the advice Monkey Orchid. Re: the sticklebacks, that's pretty much the conclusion that I'd come to myself having spoken to a few people and done a bit more research.

I take your point about not introducing spawn, due to the fact that this might introduce disease, and also in respect of the habitat being suitable. The habitat is certainly suitable, frogs and toads have been regularly seen in neighbours' gardens and often (unfortunately) get squashed crossing the road. The pond itself has only been full of water for a couple of months so I think I'll let it "mature" a while and see what arrives. As you say......"build it and they will come".

[aland]

Try and make sure you are not to well fenced in, For years we had loads of frogs and toads but we had new neighbors both sides that just had to have fences with concrete boards at the bottom our frogs got less and less, It is alright being clinical looks good but you can have a nice natural garden with out it being like belson prison camp, aland. p/s even hedge hogs stay away now,

[Cazzie]

Sticklebacks... I love them! - they're great to watch especially in the spring (the males are just awsome to watch in their bright red breeding colours, building nests and luring girls etc. lol) but!!!!... they're not for a wildlife pond and as previously said as they will munch up everything smaller than themselves sadly

Please just be patient, the wildlife will find you!