Betta

A swift, fierce fish with spiny fins whose spiny mouth can pierce the current when it swims at full speed. Its capabilities have earned it the nicknames "The Cutter" and "Hard-To-Get."

Among sticklebacks, this sort would either count as the proudest, or a rather close second place. They are especially prickly during courtships, where even the slightest breeze or smallest ripple might trip their fuse. A hobbyist once observed one such specimen charging at waving seagrass, as if such flagrant dancing was some major provocation against the stickleback king or something.

"If you encounter one underwater, do not look it in the eyes." — Angler's Atlas, Betta Chapter