Norwegian record Ninespine stickleback: 3 g

About Ninespine stickleback

The ninespine stickleback (Pungitius pungitius) is a small stickleback, usually around 5 cm and rarely more than 7–8 cm. It resembles the three-spined stickleback but is slimmer, with a very thin tail stalk and 8–11 small, free-standing spines ahead of the dorsal fin rather than three strong ones. It also lacks the large bony plates along the sides. It is olive green to brownish with a paler belly, and breeding males turn black on the throat. It lives in fresh and brackish water, especially small ponds, streams and weedy shallows, often where few other fish are present. It feeds on plankton, small crustaceans, midge larvae, fish eggs and fry. In summer the male builds a nest from plant material and guards the eggs and young. In Norway it probably occurs over much of the country, including Mjøsa, Tyrifjorden and rivers in Agder, Troms and Finnmark. Norwegian Red List 2021: Least Concern (LC).

Sources: Artsdatabanken, Store norske leksikon, Wikipedia

• Habitat: Ferskvann
• Best month: Mai

See the species guide

Biggest Ninespine stickleback in FishComp

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How to register a Norwegian record

1. Norwegian sport-fishing records are registered with Villmarksliv, not with FishComp. Read the rules before you do anything else with the fish.
2. Records are based on weight and approved by a jury. You give the weight and length, where it was caught, the gear you used and any witnesses.
3. Keep your photos and notes from the catch. Logging it in FishComp does not register a record.