from a nest devoted males spend at least another week guarding them while they learn how to find food and hide from big hungry fish.
when young sticklebacks leave their nest they stick together in big groups for safety and eat water fleas and small insects. as they grow they eat bigger water bugs like worms and water snails. they also like to snack on things that fall into the water such as dead flies. some sticklebacks spend a little time at sea where they often hide under floating seaweed. after a year or two sticklebacks grow into adults and are ready to build a nest of their own.
because they are 