Baby Sturgeons

[How Koi]

Yes I didn't think it was a Sterlet either. I have tried repeatedly to find Sterlet (acipenser ruthenus) with NO luck! I have 2 sturgeon right now. LOVE THEM! But they are in a 1500 gallon tank in our garage turned fish house. Winter temps are 10C (50F), summer temps are 20C to 25C (68F to 77F) with no ill effects. Fed on a sinking sturgeon pellet but when they were babies we fed them on bloodworms. I have worked with a few friends here in Ontario and BC Canada to acquire a number of different species of sturgeon, but very hard to properly identify each one, and NEVER have been able to obtain any paperwork to prove the species being sold. Seems any baby sturgeon are being called Sterlet. They need lots of oxygen/aeration, that is why cooler water is better too. Both my sturgeon seems to be showing the growth rate that Pomatomus mentioned. My older sturgeon is pushing 24" and will be 2 years old this April, my younger one is already over 12" and will be 1 year old sometime this spring! Taking the sturgeon back to the pet shop is an option, but try finding it a home with someone who understands the fish and give it a fighting chance for survival.

 

[Dr_Shakalu]

You'd better hope so for size reasons!

I actually work at a sturgeon farm. We raise Siberian sturgeon, Russian sturgeon, and besters. They eat pretty much anything. We feed ours sinking pellets but they can be trained to take floating pellets too. Our Siberians grow a little more than a foot per year. We don't let the water go above 75 degrees at any point, and below 65 or so is optimal. We start the babies off at 50 degrees, and adults are even happier in the 40's. Unfortunately, in Florida that means a lot of money is spent running chillers.

So since you've worked with so many different types of sturgeon, what do you think this one is? I'm hoping it's a sterlet so it will be easier to keep when they grow up but others say Siberian and those can never be kept at home so please give me your professional opinion, Ed.

 

[noelsfishland]

If you don't keep in a tank with no heaters it will probably Die in less time then you think,I have tried keeping them a number of times with the same result they always died in a couple of weeks, hate to rain on your parade,but I would do what the other people said and put it in a pond. Or bring it back for a store credit. At least you can get something that will live other wise good luck a expect the inevitable

 

[Rafini]

Back in Europe Sturgeons are pond fish. I used to have one that was around 3` long in my pond with some koi. Never seen one in an aquarium before