mini sturgeon

[geoffish]

The owner of the fish store I go to overheard me talking about my native tank. He told me he was getting in a small sturgeon species. They are usually bred to make caviar. He said max size is a foot or a foot and a half. If it's true I could fit it in one of my future tanks. Anybody keep these? I'm considering buying one. He said they look exactly like sturgeon because they are but they don't get giant. Is this a real thing?

 

[Oddball]

And, ...another LFS lies to make a sale. The smallest species of sturgeon (Scaphirhynchus platorynchus) grows to an average 40". The most commonly available "small" sturgeon is the Sterlet. This species reaches to about the same length but, attains a heavier weight.

 

[geoffish]

Good to know. I'm going to have to ask him for the genus and species etc. And do my own research instead of trusting a fish store. Bummer. He said 2 feet MAX when I asked today.

 

[geoffish]

What the hell did he expect me to do with it once it grew over 2 feet?

 

[Oddball]

What the hell did he expect me to do with it once it grew over 2 feet?

If you don't have a tank large enough for them, they're delicious with tartar sauce, cucumber dill vinaigrette, or a peach/honey glaze.

 

[BIG-G]

Then there's that.

lol I guess you could enjoy watching the fish and when he gets too large you have a nice meal!
Would what you grow the fish on effect the taste? I assume it would. So the better you feed it the better he will be when it comes time.

 

[Oddball]

A varied natural diet and pristine water will yield the best tasting fish.

 

[Moontanman]

The owner of the fish store I go to overheard me talking about my native tank. He told me he was getting in a small sturgeon species. They are usually bred to make caviar. He said max size is a foot or a foot and a half. If it's true I could fit it in one of my future tanks. Anybody keep these? I'm considering buying one. He said they look exactly like sturgeon because they are but they don't get giant. Is this a real thing?

Yes, there is a tiny sturgeon, it's name is Pseudoscaphirhynchus hermanni.
http://www.fishbase.se/summary/8764

I would be more willing to believe your LFS has fish from Mars than this species...

http://www.fishbase.se/tools/UploadPhoto/uploads/1466873234_172.68.10.86.jpg

 

[Moontanman]

What the hell did he expect me to do with it once it grew over 2 feet?

It would be unusual for a shovelnose sturgeon to grow to 2 feet in captivity, even the wild they seldom exceed 30" or so. I know the max size listed is more like 48" but the wild max size is not always a good indicator of how big the fish will get in captivity. The shovelnose is the best choice for a large aquarium, they are considered warm water fish and are more flexible and agile than other species like sterlets or white sturgeon often seen in the hobby. I would like at least a 225 to keep them in but the foot print of the tank is more important than the height. A tank around 36' wide and 96" long would be quite comfortable for one or more shovelnose. Sadly they are seldom if ever available in the pet trade either...

 

[krichardson]

What the hell did he expect me to do with it once it grew over 2 feet?

Other than selling it back to him for less than what you paid for it I doubt if he cares.