Sturgeon family. Sturgeon species of fish: description and photo

All types of sturgeon are valuable commercial fish, the population of which is rapidly declining due to regulation of river flows, hydraulic construction, land reclamation, illegal fishing and others. negative factors related to human activities. Attempts to increase their numbers in nature have so far given unsatisfactory results. For these reasons, all types of sturgeon fish are listed in the international, and some also in the Russian Red Book. In this regard, their breeding in artificial conditions (in fish factories, in artificial reservoirs, etc.) has become widespread.

Sturgeon fish species: photos and list

The order of sturgeons is widespread in the water basins of North America, Northern Asia and Europe. There are both anadromous and semi-anadromous species, as well as freshwater ones. All of them are united by a long life cycle and excellent fertility, as well as a similar appearance, diet and lifestyle. Sturgeon species fish, whose body structure resembles an elongated spindle, have 5 rows of bony bugs. Two are located on the sides and belly, and one is located on the back. Between them were small plates and bone grains. The dorsal fin is located closer to the tail, and four antennae can be seen on the underside of the snout. The anterior ray of the pectoral fin resembles a spine, the transverse cuts of which can be used to determine the age of the individual.

In the territory former USSR Sturgeon species of fish live, the names and photos of which are presented below:

• beluga;
• Kaluga;
• shovelnose;
• sterlet;
• stellate sturgeon;
• Atlantic sturgeon;
• Pacific (Sakhalin) sturgeon;
• Russian sturgeon;
• Persian (South Caspian) sturgeon;
• Amur sturgeon;
• Siberian sturgeon;
• three false pathologist (large, small and Fedchenko).

The sturgeon family is divided into two subfamilies: sturgeon-like (beluga, kaluga and all sturgeons) and shovelnose-like (American shovelnose and pseudoshovelnose). All representatives of sturgeon have a cartilaginous skeleton structure, in which there are no vertebrae, and the notochord is preserved until the end of life.

Sturgeon family: types of fish and their characteristics

In addition to the main species, there is a wide variety of hybrid varieties, as they easily form hybrids by interbreeding in spawning areas. Regardless of the species, fish spawn only in rivers with fast currents and water saturated with oxygen, the bottom of which is strewn with pebbles, stones and sand. The sturgeon reproduces several times during its life (but not every year) at a temperature of 15-20 ° C, so only the spring-summer period is suitable for this.

The young of anadromous representatives (stellar sturgeon, beluga, Russian and Atlantic sturgeon, thorn) leave after emerging from the eggs into the pre-estuary spaces in the same summer along with adult individuals, but some of the fry of the thorn and Russian sturgeon can stay in the river for a year or more. The capacious yolk sac of the fry contains nutrients on which they live for the first time. After its resorption, they begin to feed independently: they first eat planktonic crustaceans (daphnia and cyclops), and then switch to gammarids, mysids, chironomid larvae and oligochaetes.

Migratory species of sturgeon are divided into winter and spring forms within each species, the degree of differentiation of which depends on the size of the river: in large water streams (for example, the Volga and Ural) both forms are clearly expressed, in smaller ones the spring form dominates, inferior in size to the winter form. The latter enters rivers to spawn from late summer and autumn, rising high, overwintering in pits, and spawning in the spring of next year. The spring race rises into rivers in early spring, but not high, and begins to reproduce immediately upon reaching the spawning ground.

Beluga

The largest representative of the sturgeon, which can reach 5 meters in length and weigh more than 1 ton, lives the longest - up to 100 years. There are known archaeological finds of medieval belugas whose size exceeded 6 m. Fishermen of that time often died when such a giant was caught in their gear.

There are Black Sea and Azov subspecies, which, like all anadromous species, also have winter and spring forms, which predominate depending on in which river the population spawns. Azov individuals reach sexual maturity earlier - females at 12-14 years, and males at 16-18. The remaining species are much later - 14-23 and 17-26 years, respectively. Beluga is the most prolific fish. The largest females lay up to 7.7 million eggs

Kaluga

It is one of the largest freshwater fish. Its length reaches 3.7 m, weight – 380 kg, and this representative of the fauna lives up to 55 years. Kaluga becomes sexually mature very late: males - at 17-18 years, females - from 18 to 22 years. The fish is extremely prolific: the number of eggs sometimes reaches 4.1 million. By the way, there are different types of sturgeon caviar: pressed and granular. So in Kaluga it reaches 4 mm in diameter. There are two forms of this giant: a fast-growing estuary (semi-anadromous form, spawning in the Amur) and a river, smaller one, forming local, slowly moving herds in the river.

This is a pronounced predator: the estuary form feeds on salmon (chum salmon, pink salmon) when they go to spawn in the Amur, but due to a decrease in their population, Kaluga has been observed in cannibalism. The river subspecies eats small bottom fish such as minnows.

Sterlet

The smallest freshwater representative of the sturgeon: reaches 1.2 m in length and up to 16 kg in weight. The sterlet has the largest number of lateral bugs (more than 50) and fringed antennae, which distinguishes it from other sturgeons. Another feature of this fish is the variable shape of the snout, which is why two forms are distinguished - sharp-snouted and blunt-snouted. The latter grows faster, is more plump, and has greater fertility than its sharp-snouted relative. This difference is also inherent in other freshwater sturgeons - Amur and Siberian.

Males become capable of reproduction at 4-5 years, females at 4-9. The number of eggs depends on the size of the females, as in other sturgeons, and reaches a maximum of 140 thousand pieces in the Volga sterlet, the largest.

Stellate sturgeon

Like all sturgeon species, it has distinctive features: it is easily identified by its very long snout (over 60% of the head) in the shape of a sword. This is an anadromous species dominated by the spring race, reaching 2.2 m in length and weighing 80 kg. The most heat-loving among migratory species, and therefore it spawns later than others, when the water temperature is more suitable (spring run at 10-14 ° C, autumn run - 13-17 ° C). Males mature at 8-11 years, and females - from 10 to 14. The Azov sturgeon population grows faster and matures earlier. The most prolific fish is the Ural fish. She lays up to 743,000 eggs.

Having finished spawning, it immediately, without stopping in the river, swims into the sea, where it eats Nereis and crustaceans. It occupies first place in the sturgeon fishery. The main amount of stellate sturgeon is mined in the Urals.

Atlantic sturgeon

This is a large anadromous sturgeon, reaching 3 m in length and weighing more than 200 kg. It has massive bugs on its body with a radially striated surface, and pectoral fin there is a powerful bone beam. Unfortunately, the once large population today numbers about 1 thousand individuals that live in the Black Sea basin.

Males reach reproductive age at 7-9 years, and females - from 8 to 14. Fertility is estimated at 5.7 million eggs. Without stopping after spawning, the fish quickly goes to the sea, where its main diet is anchovy. All types of sturgeon fish are of commercial value.

Russian sturgeon

Among sturgeons, Russian occupies the leading place in terms of numbers. Its distinctive features are a short, blunt snout and antennae without fringes, sitting closer to the edge. The fish grows up to 2.3 m and weighs 100 kg. It has complexly differentiated varieties of spring and winter forms that go to spawn in different periods. They have different sizes, growth rates, and duration of stay in fresh water.

Caspian representatives of the Russian sturgeon reach a sexually mature state at 12-13 years old - males, and at 15-16 - females. Azov animals mature earlier - at 8-11 and 11-15 years, respectively. Like other sturgeon species, the Russian is very prolific: one female can produce up to 880 thousand eggs. The main part of the fry goes to sea, and some may remain in the river for 1-2 years. The favorite food of this species is shellfish. The fish also feeds on shrimp, crabs, and nereis.

The sturgeon family is considered a valuable commercial species, the meat and caviar of which are distinguished by excellent taste. Representatives of the order have ancient origins; evidence of their existence is in Cretaceous period- more than 75 million years ago. IN Lately As a result of negative factors associated with human activities, their numbers are significantly reduced. Therefore, large commercial fish The sturgeon family is listed in the International Red Book.

General characteristics of the sturgeon family

Sturgeon fish live in the water basins of the northern hemisphere - in Europe, North America and Northern Asia. The order is divided into anadromous and freshwater species. Representatives of an anadromous species migrate to spawn from salty seas into the rivers. Spawning occurs in the spring-summer period; some species enter the rivers in the fall to overwinter.

Fish of the sturgeon family are among the most large inhabitants aquatic fauna For example, the beluga can reach a length of 4 m and weigh more than a ton. Sturgeon are distinguished by their long life expectancy: beluga can live about 100 years, sturgeon - about 50, stellate sturgeon - 30, and sterlet - 20 years. Puberty

Zooplankton - food for young sturgeon fish

individuals also occurs quite late: in females this age occurs no earlier than 10-15 years, in males - at 10-12 years. Only sterlet and shovelnose reach sexual maturity earlier. Moreover, the same individual does not go out to spawn every year, and reproduces only a few times during its life cycle.

The sturgeon diet consists of animal food: shellfish, worms, insects, and other fish. They prefer to stay and hunt at the bottom of reservoirs. The migratory species of sturgeon going to spawn practically does not feed during this period. Females are distinguished by high fertility - a large adult individual can lay several million eggs.

The most common species of the sturgeon family include:

• Sturgeon – Atlantic, Pacific, Russian, Persian, Amur, Siberian;
• Beluga;
• Kaluga;
• Shovelnose;
• Sevruga;

In addition to the main species, there are various hybrids that are the result of crossing in spawning areas. All sturgeons are similar in appearance, their body resembles an elongated spindle. The head is covered with small bony scutes, the muzzle is elongated in the shape of a spade or cone. The mouth with fleshy lips can extend, there are 4 antennae under it, and there are no teeth. Sturgeons do not have vertebrae; the skeleton is based only on a cartilaginous chord, which is preserved throughout life.

Sturgeon breeding

Dear visitors, save this article in in social networks. We publish very useful articles that will help you in your business. Share! Click!

Sturgeon - a brief overview of the family members

There are 17 species of sturgeon, some of the fish in this family are on the verge of extinction. Sturgeon is a valuable commercial fish, average weight fluctuates between 10-20 kg. The largest fish, according to archaeologists, weighed 2 centners and reached a length of 3 meters. Today there are individuals weighing about 100 kg, they can be found in the Black Sea basin. Sturgeon is classified as a bottom fish and can live at depths from 2 to 100 meters. Inhabits lakes, rivers, seas.

Among the largest anadromous species are the Atlantic sturgeon, which can be found in the Black Sea. This valuable game fish reaches 3 meters in length and can weigh over 200 kg. Unfortunately, today its population is significantly reduced, so artificial cultivation is practiced. The fish is characterized by high growth rates and high fertility of females. They go to rivers to spawn, after which they immediately slide into the sea, feeding mainly on anchovy.

In terms of numbers, Russian sturgeons are in first place, which are caught in the Black and Azov Seas, as well as in the Caspian Sea. The caviar of this fish is second only to beluga in value. It is actively mined in the Kura, on the Volga, and in the Danube. The diet of Russian sturgeons includes shellfish, shrimp and crabs. To spawn from the Caspian Sea they go to the Volga and Danube, from the Black Sea to the Dnieper and Danube, from the Azov Sea to the Don. Sturgeon fry can remain in the river for 1-2 years, although the main part goes to sea.

The non-anadromous species include the Siberian sturgeon. It does not need salt water to survive, which is something that fish breeders in captivity have begun to actively use. The sturgeon inhabits Siberian waters and travels many kilometers along the river mouth to spawn. Siberian sturgeon is divided into 4 subspecies:

• West Siberian - found in the Ob and Irtysh;
• East Siberian - inhabits the rivers of Siberia from the Yenisei to Khatanga;
• Yakut - lives in the rivers of Yakutia from Khatanga to Kolyma;
• Baikalsky;

Beluga and kaluga are the largest representatives of the sturgeon family

Beluga is the largest fish in the sturgeon family; it can grow up to 5 m in length and weigh more than a ton. Life expectancy is also the longest - 100 years. There are known cases of catching fish that were 70 years old, their weight was more than 1 ton, and their length was 4-5 meters. Lives in the Caspian, Black and Azov seas, very rarely found in the Adriatic.

Beluga is an anadromous fish, and the most prolific of all - the female spawns over 7 million eggs. The commercial weight of fish today depends on the place of catch: in the Volga basin it is 70 kg for males and 125 kg for females. In the Urals, the average harvest weight of beluga is slightly less - 40-60 kg for males, 60-100 kg for females.

Beluga meat is a little tougher than other sturgeon. Excellent for balyk products, the caviar of this fish is of excellent quality and is the size of a pea. The number of beluga has now fallen sharply as a result of predatory fishing by poachers. Its population is maintained in fish hatcheries. In nature, it interbreeds with other sturgeons, forming hybrids.

Kaluga is the largest representative of sturgeon living in fresh water. Lives in the waters of the Amur. It is very voracious, so it grows quickly. In the first 10 years of life, each year it grows by 10 cm and gains 10 kg in weight. It can live 80 years, reaching a mass of 1000 kg and 6 m in length. There are two types of beluga:

• Limannaya - goes to spawn in the estuary (shallow bay where the river flows into the sea);
• Sedentary - always remains in the riverbed, lives separately in small groups;

It begins to spawn in late spring; females reach sexual maturity no earlier than 16 years. After spawning, the individual loses a third of its weight; the next time spawning will occur again only after 5 years. Kaluga is a predator; young fry quickly switch to feeding on small fish. Adult fish prefer larger prey, literally sucking it in along with the water. Kaluga is considered an endangered sturgeon species, which is why it is listed in the International Red Book.

Sterlet is a small representative of the sturgeon order

The sterlet differs from its relatives not only in its smaller size, but also in its elongated narrow nose. The geography of its habitat is extensive: rivers in the basins of the Azov, Caspian and Black Seas, the Northern Dvina, Yenisei, Ob, Irtysh rivers. It was able to get into lakes Ladoga and Onega, was released and took root in the Western Dvina, Neman, Onega, Pechora, Amur, Oka and in a number of reservoirs.

Average length commercial sterlet – 40-60 cm, weight – within 0.5-2 kg. Sterlet differs from its relatives by earlier puberty; females begin to spawn at the age of 7-8 years. This fact makes it an attractive object for breeding in fish farms.

The sturgeon family is the most valuable commercial fish species, which in ancient times was served at the royal table. But poor ecology and poaching are leading to a rapid decline in its numbers. Therefore, today it is widely practiced to breed fish in special reserves for further release into the natural environment.

And a little about secrets...

Have you ever experienced unbearable joint pain? And you know firsthand what it is:

• inability to move easily and comfortably;
• discomfort when going up and down stairs;
• unpleasant crunching, clicking not of your own accord;
• pain during or after exercise;
• inflammation in the joints and swelling;
• causeless and sometimes unbearable aching pain in the joints...

Now answer the question: are you satisfied with this? Can such pain be tolerated? How much money have you already wasted on ineffective treatment? That's right - it's time to end this! Do you agree? That is why we decided to publish an exclusive interview with Professor Dikul, in which he revealed the secrets of getting rid of joint pain, arthritis and arthrosis.

Video: Sturgeon War

Sturgeon is a fish that belongs to the class ray-finned fish, subclass cartilaginous ganoids, order sturgeon, suborder sturgeon, family sturgeon, subfamily sturgeon, genus sturgeon (lat. Acipenser).

International scientific name: Acipenser, Linnaeus, 1758 .

Sturgeon fry feed primarily on zooplankton (daphnia, cyclops and bosmina), but are capable of eating very small crustaceans and worms. Juveniles eat insect larvae, small shrimp and crustaceans. In the stomachs of the fry, many inedible particles are often found, probably absorbed from the muddy deposits.

During the breeding season and after spawning, the sturgeon practically stops eating or switches to a plant diet, but within a month the fish’s appetite is restored, and they go back to fattening.

Classification of sturgeons.

According to the fishbase.org database, there are 17 species of sturgeon (data from 10/2016):

1. Acipenser baerii – Siberian sturgeon;
2. Acipenser brevirostrum – Blunt sturgeon;
3. Acipenser dabryanus – Korean sturgeon;
4. Acipenser fulvescens – Lake sturgeon;
5. Acipenser gueldenstaedtii – Russian sturgeon;
6. Acipenser medirostris – Green sturgeon (Pacific);
7. Acipenser mikadoi – Sakhalin sturgeon;
8. Acipenser naccarii – Adriatic sturgeon;
9. Acipenser nudiventris – Thorn;
10. Acipenser oxyrinchus – American Atlantic sturgeon;
11. Acipenser persicus – Persian sturgeon;
12. Acipenser ruthenus – Sterlet;
13. Acipenser schrenckii – Amur sturgeon;
14. Acipenser sinensis – Chinese sturgeon;
15. Acipenser stellatus – Stellate sturgeon;
16. Acipenser sturio – Atlantic sturgeon;
17. Acipenser transmontanus – White sturgeon.

Fossil species of sturgeon:

1. Acipenser albertensis † - Campanian stage of the Upper Cretaceous - early Paleocene 83.5-61.7 million years ago
2. Acipenser eruciferus † - Campanian - Maastrichtian stages of the Upper Cretaceous 83.5-65.5 million years ago
3. Acipenser molassicus†
4. Acipenser ornatus†
5. Acipenser toliapicus † - Lutetian stage of the Eocene 48.6-40.4 million years ago, Europe and northern Asia
6. Acipenser tuberculosus†

Types of sturgeon, photos and names.

The sturgeon genus includes 17 species of fish, most of which are listed in the Red Book with the status of critically endangered. Below is a description of some types.

• Siberian sturgeon(lat.Acipenser baerii) - a large fish up to 2 meters long. Sturgeon weighs up to 210 kg. Within the species, there are 2 varieties: sharp-snouted and blunt-snouted (regular) individuals. General population The Siberian sturgeon is divided into freshwater and semi-anadromous forms, which inhabit the Siberian rivers from the Ob to the Kolyma, and also live in Lake Baikal and in eastern Kazakhstan in Lake Zaisan. Initially, the Siberian sturgeon species was divided into 4 subspecies:
  • Yakut sturgeon sturgeon (lat. Acipenser baerii chatys, Drjagin, 1948), called khatys, which lives in Khatanga, Lena, Yana and Indigirka,
  • Baikal sturgeon (lat. Acipenser baerii baicalensis, Nikolskii, 1896), inhabiting Lake Baikal and having a similar morphology to the North American sturgeon,
  • East Siberian (long-snouted) sturgeon (lat. Acipenser baerii stenorrhynchus, Nikolskii, 1896);
  • West Siberian sturgeon (lat. Acipenser baerii baerii, Brandt, 1869).

At the end of the 20th century, scientists proved that there are no significant differences between these subspecies, and the division became unacceptable. The diet of the Siberian sturgeon includes amphipods, insect larvae (mainly caddisflies and mosquitoes), as well as mollusks and different kinds small fish, especially juvenile Baikal broadhead. The Siberian sturgeon interbreeds freely with the Siberian sterlet, and their offspring are called koster. The Siberian sturgeon differs from the sterlet in the smaller number of lateral bugs (up to 50). The difference from the Russian sturgeon is that the Siberian species has fan-shaped gill rakers and a sharper snout in some individuals.

Taken from the site: www.rybarskyrozcestnik.cz

• White sturgeon(lat. Acipenser transmontanus) is a very large species of sturgeon, second in size only to beluga and kaluga, and also the largest North American fish. Conservation status: Least Concern. The unofficial name of the fish is California white sturgeon. The fish has a fairly slender body, and the length of the largest sturgeon was 6.1 m with a mass of 816 kg, although the average weight of a sturgeon usually does not exceed 10-20 kg. The dorsal row contains from 11 to 14 scutes, the lateral rows consist of 38-48, the ventral scutes range from 9 to 12. The back and side surfaces colored in greyish, light olive or grayish-brown shades, the belly and underside of the head are white. The sturgeon feeds on numerous mollusks, various crustaceans, lampreys and fish, including smelt. White sturgeon is an anadromous fish that lives in the Pacific waters off the western coast of North America from the Aleutian Islands, located in the subarctic zone, to the state of California. Spawning grounds are located in brackish river mouths; some individuals migrate far up into fresh waters. Regular migrations into rivers for these fish are not necessarily associated with spawning. The most numerous populations of California sturgeon are found off the coast and in inland waters of Washington and Oregon states, southwest Alaska, California's San Francisco Bay, and the deltas of the Sacramento and San Joaquin rivers. Dams built on the Columbia and Snake rivers isolated part of the population in the river, and over time the fish acquired a freshwater form.

• Russian sturgeon(lat. Acipenser gueldenstaedtii) - one of the very first objects of artificial breeding, which has a high value throughout the world for the exceptional gastronomic qualities of meat and caviar. Conservation status: critically endangered. It has a walk-through and residential form. The Russian sturgeon differs from other sturgeons by its blunt, short snout and antennae, which grow not near the mouth, but closer to the end of the snout. The maximum length of an adult Russian sturgeon is 2.36 m with a weight of 115 kg, but usually the weight of the sturgeon does not exceed 12-24 kg. The average length is 1.45 m. The Russian sturgeon has a grayish-brown back, gray sides with a yellow tint and a whitish belly. The dorsal row usually contains from 9 to 18 bugs, the lateral rows from 30 to 50, and the ventral rows no more than 7-12. Depending on the habitat, the diet of representatives of the species consists of amphipods (amphipods), mysids and worms. The fish diet includes sprat, herring, mullet and shemaya. IN natural conditions Russian sturgeon produces hybrid offspring with beluga, sterlet, stellate sturgeon and thorn. Russian sturgeon is found in almost all major waterways Russia. The main habitat of sturgeon is the basins of the Caspian, Black and Azov seas. Russian sturgeon goes to spawn in the Volga, Terek, Don, Kuban, Samur, Dnieper, Danube, Rioni, Mzymta, Psou and other rivers.

• Amur sturgeon, aka Schrenk's sturgeon(lat.Acipenser schrenckii, Acipenser multiscutatus) forms freshwater (residential) and semi-anadromous forms, which are considered close relatives of the Siberian sturgeon. But, unlike the Siberian sturgeon, the gill rakers of the Amur species are not fan-shaped, but smooth and have one apex. Conservation status: critically endangered. The Amur sturgeon reaches 3 meters in length with a body weight of about 190 kg, but the average weight of a sturgeon usually does not exceed 56-80 kg. Representatives of the species have a pointed, elongated snout, which can be up to half the length of the head. The dorsal rows of the sturgeon contain from 11 to 17 bugs, the lateral rows from 32 to 47, the abdominal rows from 7 to 14. Amur sturgeons eat caddis and mayfly larvae, various crustaceans, lamprey larvae and small fish. The sturgeon lives in the Amur River basin, from the lower reaches and above, to Shilka and Argun; during the breeding season, schools go up the river to the Nikolaevsk-on-Amur region.

• Atlantic sturgeon(lat. Acipenser sturios) - Very major representative genus, the maximum size of which can reach 6 meters. The maximum recorded weight of the fish is 400 kg. The bugs of the Atlantic sturgeon are much larger than those of other sturgeons, and on the tail there are 3 pairs of large fused scutes. On the back of the sturgeon, oblique rows of small diamond-shaped plaques and from 9 to 16 large light bugs are clearly visible. The lateral rows contain from 24 to 40 scutes, on the belly from 8 to 14. The back of the fish is grayish-olive in color, the sides are much lighter, the belly is white. Sturgeon food includes small fish (anchovies and sand lance), as well as worms, crustaceans and mollusks. Initially, the Atlantic sturgeon was found off the coast of Europe in the Baltic, North, Mediterranean and Black Seas, as well as off the North American coast from Hudson Bay to South Carolina. Schools of fish went to spawn in the rivers Svir, Volkhov, Elbe, Oder, and Danube. Despite its impressive historical range, the Atlantic sturgeon is critically endangered and has been virtually extirpated in most areas. Currently, the Atlantic sturgeon is found only in the Black Sea and the Bay of Biscay, where no more than 300 individuals live. According to foreign sources, a small number of Atlantic sturgeon are found only in the Garonne River in France.

Taken from: itsnature.org

• Lake sturgeon(lat. Acipenser fulvescens) is a large representative of the genus, biologically close to the blunt-nosed sturgeon. The maximum recorded length of adult fish is 2.74 m with a body weight of 125 kg. The body is colored black with gray or greenish-brown, the belly is white or yellowish. Basically, lake sturgeon feed on all kinds of bottom organisms; fish is consumed to a lesser extent. The lake sturgeon is a North American and Canadian resident that lives in the Great Lakes system, Lake Winnipeg, and the Mississippi, Saskatchewan and St. Lawrence river basins. Conservation status: Least Concern.

• Sakhalin sturgeon(lat. Acipenser mikadoi) - the rarest and rather poorly studied species, according to biological characteristics identical to green (Pacific) sturgeon. The average length of adult specimens reaches 1.5-1.7 m with a weight of 35-45 kg, the largest individuals grow up to 2 m in length and weigh about 60 kg. Adults have a large, blunt snout. The color of the Sakhalin sturgeon is greenish-olive, there are from 8 to 10 bugs on the back, from 27 to 31 on the sides, from 6 to 8 on the belly. The food of the Sakhalin sturgeon consists of various inhabitants of the muddy bottom: snails and other mollusks, insect larvae, small shrimp, crustaceans, and small fish. The species' range covers the cold waters of the Sea of ​​Japan, the Sea of ​​Okhotsk and the Strait of Tatar; the fish goes to the Tumnin River in the Khabarovsk Territory to spawn.

Taken from the site: www.ichthyo.ru

• Persian sturgeon, aka South Caspian or Kura sturgeon(lat. Acipenser persicus) is an anadromous species, a close relative of the Russian sturgeon. It is on the verge of extinction. The maximum size of a sturgeon is 2.42 m and weighs 70 kg. Representatives of the species have a large, long, slightly curved snout and a gray-blue back, blue sides with a metallic tint. The Persian sturgeon also differs from other species in having fewer bugs in each row. The diet of the South Caspian sturgeon consists mainly of benthos and small fish. The natural habitat of the fish is the middle and southern regions of the Caspian Sea; a small proportion of the population inhabits the northern regions of the Caspian Sea and is found in Black Sea coast. The main spawning grounds are located in the Volga, Ural, Kura, Inguri and Rioni rivers.

• Sterlet (lat. Acipenser ruthenus) - a medium-sized representative of the sturgeon genus, differs from other sturgeons by early puberty: males are ready for reproduction at the age of 4-5 years, females at 7-8 years. Another difference between the sterlet and other sturgeons is its fringed antennae and a large number of lateral bugs: usually more than 50. Sterlet is a freshwater fish, but there are a small number of semi-anadromous forms. The maximum length of a sterlet reaches 1.25 m, and its weight does not exceed 16 kg. The average size is 40-60 cm. Sterlet can be sharp-snouted or blunt-snouted, and its color varies from brown with gray to brown, its belly is white with yellowish tint. Most of the sterlet's diet consists of insect larvae, leeches and other benthic organisms; fish is eaten to a lesser extent. A valuable hybrid form of sterlet and beluga, bester, is a popular object of economic cultivation. The natural habitat of the sterlet is in the rivers of the Caspian, Black, Azov and Baltic seas, found in rivers such as the Dnieper, Don, Yenisei, Ob, Irtysh, Volga with its tributaries, Kuban, Sura, Ural, upper and middle Kama, formerly also found in Lakes Ladoga and Onega. Some of the population was moved to the Neman, Western Dvina, Pechora, Onega, Amur, Mezen, Oka and a number of artificial reservoirs, although the fish did not take root everywhere. Conservation status: vulnerable species.

• Stellate sturgeon(lat. Acipenser stellatus) is an anadromous species of sturgeon, closely related to sterlet and sturgeon. Sevruga is a large fish, reaching a length of 2.2 m and weighing about 80 kg. The stellate sturgeon has an elongated, narrow, slightly flattened snout, accounting for up to 65% of the length of the head. The rows of dorsal bugs contain from 11 to 14 elements, in the lateral rows there are from 30 to 36, on the belly from 10 to 11. The surface of the back is black-brown in color, the sides are much lighter, the belly is usually white. The diet of the stellate sturgeon consists of crustaceans and mysids, various worms, as well as small species of fish. Stellate sturgeon lives in the basins of the Caspian, Azov and Black seas, sometimes fish are found in the Adriatic and Aegean seas. During the breeding season, the sturgeon goes to the Volga, Ural, Kura, Kuban, Don, Dnieper, Southern Bug, Inguri and Kodori.

Beluga (Huso huso) Description: Beluga (Huso huso) is the most big fish, found in fresh waters, as in some cases it reaches a length of several meters and a weight of up to 1120, and in former times more than 1600 kg. In addition to its size, Beluga (Huso huso) is easily distinguished from all other sturgeon fish by its thick cylindrical body and short […]

Kaluga (lat. Huso dauricus) is a freshwater fish of the beluga genus, the sturgeon family. Length up to 5.6 m, weighs up to 1 ton. Mouth large, semi-lunar. Kaluga is widespread in the Amur basin, found in Arguni and Shilka, and in the Sungari. It does not go out to sea beyond the Amur Estuary. There are anadromous, estuary, fast-growing kaluga that rises to spawn in the Amur from the estuary, […]

Shovelnoss (lat. Scaphirhynchus platorhynchus) - river fish weighing up to 2-3, rarely up to 4.4 kg and up to 60-90 cm long, rarely up to 130 cm; characterized by a very long, flattened caudal peduncle, covered like a shell with bony plates; the tail filament, in contrast to the pseudopathophos, is absent or small; the swim bladder is large, the eyes are small. Spreading. Amu Darya and its tributaries from Fayzabad-kala […]

Sturgeon (lat. Acipenser) is a genus of fish of the sturgeon family. Freshwater and anadromous forms. Body length - up to 3 m; weigh up to 200 kg (Baltic sturgeon). There are 16-18 species, some of which are listed in the Red Book. Contents [remove] Genus Acipenser The genus Acipenser is characterized by the following signs: longitudinal rows of bony scutes do not merge with each other on the tail; there are splash holes, [...]

Sterlet is a fish of the sturgeon family. Body length up to 125 cm, weighs up to 16 kg (usually less). Among other sturgeons, it is distinguished by the earliest onset of sexual maturity: males spawn for the first time at the age of 4-5 years, females - 7-8 years. Fertility is 4-140 thousand eggs. Spawns in May, usually in the beds of upper rivers. The eggs are sticky and are deposited on rocky and pebble soil. She […]

Sturgeons belong to the cartilaginous ganoids, which have retained the ancient features of their structure (skull and most of skeletalcartilaginous). These are anadromous, semi-anadromous and freshwater fish inhabiting the waters of the planet’s northern hemisphere (Europe, northern part Asia, North America). These are mainly long-lived and late-maturing fish. Spawning is not annual.

In terms of the rate of accumulation of body weight, sturgeon are among the fastest growing fish. Sturgeon are a valuable object of pasture, pond, cage and industrial fish farming both in Russia and abroad (Germany, Hungary, Japan, France, USA, etc.).

Russian sturgeon(Acipenser gueldenstaedtii Bg.) is a large migratory fish with a wide range. Lives in the Caspian and Azov-Black Sea basins. As a result of the construction of hydroelectric power stations, the sturgeon's habitat has now been reduced, and its stocks are mainly maintained through fish farming activities. The main spawning rivers are the Volga, Ural, Dnieper and Don with their tributaries.

The body of the Russian sturgeon is elongated and spindle-shaped. The back is grayish-black, the sides are grayish-brown, and the belly is white. The snout with antennae is short and blunt, the mouth is wide with a rudimentary lower lip. Dorsal bugs - 8-18, lateral bugs - 24-50, ventral bugs - 6-13.

The Russian sturgeon is characterized by a complex intraspecific structure. It has spring and winter forms, and within each of them there are smaller groups that differ in the timing of migration to rivers, the size of fish, the duration of stay in fresh water, etc. Along with this, the Russian sturgeon is capable of forming residential forms that spend their entire lives in fresh water.

Most male Russian sturgeon become sexually mature at the age of 11-13 years, females at 12-16 years. In a swimming pool Sea of ​​Azov sturgeon typically mature 2 years earlier than other populations. The fertility of Russian sturgeon varies within very wide limits - from 50 thousand to 1165 thousand eggs. IN last years information has appeared about a decrease in the fertility range of Russian sturgeon (70-800 thousand eggs).

The spawning migration of Russian sturgeon extends from late March - early April to the end of November with a maximum in July. Fish that migrate to the river later remain in it for the winter. Spawning of spring sturgeon occurs in mid-May - early June at water temperatures from 8 to 15 ° C in river sections with gravel or rocky soils at a depth of 4 to 25 m. Winter sturgeon enters rivers with immature reproductive products and spawns only the next year . The average size of spawning males is 132 cm and females - 150 cm, the average weight of individuals is 15-20 kg. The maximum dimensions of the Russian sturgeon are 236 cm and body weight is 115 kg.

The embryonic period at a water temperature of 16-18°C lasts from 8 to 10 days. The hatched larvae have a length of 10-12 mm, a body weight of 6-9 mg and are quickly carried away by the current from the spawning grounds into the sea. After breeding, adult fish also quickly migrate to sea pastures. Having reached a length of just over 20 mm, Russian sturgeon fry switch to active nutrition: at first their food mainly consists of small plankton, later - from small representatives of benthic fauna (gammarids, mysids, amphipods, Nereis, etc.). Adult fish switch to feeding on shellfish and fish.

When breeding Russian sturgeon in artificial conditions, its domesticated form is used or producers are caught during spawning migration. Juveniles very quickly get used to artificial food and feel good in a confined space.

Siberian sturgeon(Acipenser baerii Br.) is distributed over a vast territory from the Ob in the west to Kolyma in the east, as well as in the Lake Baikal basin. In the Ob and Yenisei basins it forms a semi-anadromous form, in the Lena, Yana, Indigirka and Kolyma local residential forms live, and in Baikal and Zaisan - lake-river forms. The largest population of Siberian sturgeon formerly lived in the Ob-Irtysh basin. However, as a result of intensive economic development of this basin, its numbers decreased, which led to a catastrophic state of the population. Currently, the Ob population of Siberian sturgeon is included in the Red Book of the Russian Federation.

The Siberian sturgeon is close to the Russian sturgeon, from which it differs in its fan-shaped gill rakers. There are 10-19 dorsal bugs, 32-59 lateral bugs (usually 42-47), 7-16 ventral bugs. The color of the back is variable - from light gray to dark brown, the belly is light or light yellow. The shape and length of the snout varies greatly.

According to G.V. Nikolsky, the Siberian sturgeon reaches a maximum size of 2 m with a body weight of about 200 kg. It grows slowly and becomes sexually mature at the age of: males - 17-18 years, females - 19-20 years. The Lena sturgeon reaches sexual maturity at the age of 11-12 years. Males usually mature 1-2 years earlier than females. Depending on the habitat, the fertility of the Siberian sturgeon ranges from 50 thousand to 1400 thousand eggs. Fish spawn once every few years.

The conditions and length of the rivers in which the Siberian sturgeon lives determine the time of its spawning. Sturgeon breed from the end of May to the end of July at water temperatures from 9 to 21°C. For example, sturgeon spawning in the Ob occurs at the end of May - June at a water temperature of 12-18°C. In the Yenisei it spawns in June-July at water temperatures from 16 to 21°C. The spawning grounds of the Siberian sturgeon are located in areas of rocky-gravel or gravel-sand bottom with a current speed of about 1.4 m/s.

The duration of the embryonic period at a water temperature of 13-14.5°C lasts 10-17 days. The hatched larvae are 10-13 mm long and have a body weight of 8-11 mg. On the 5-7th day after hatching from the eggs, the juveniles switch to mixed, and after 15 days - to pure external power supply. Fry after switching to active feeding for a long time stay in fresh water. The food consists of caddisfly larvae, mayflies, and midges. The Siberian sturgeon, being mainly a benthophage, often does not show selectivity in feeding, and when there is a lack of food, it can switch to carnivorous feeding. In large individuals, fish (chebak, burbot, ruffe) are often found in the digestive tract.

The Lena population of Siberian sturgeon is one of the most developed in terms of fish farming. Over the past 20 years, it has been intensively used in pasture, cage and industrial fish farming. Due to its adaptive plasticity, first noted by N.L. Gerbilsky, the Lena sturgeon became the object of introduction into many water bodies of the European part of the Russian Federation.

Sterlet(Acipenser rutkenus L.) is the only representative of sturgeon that permanently lives in fresh waters. The range of sterlet is quite wide. It includes the rivers of the Azov-Black Sea, Caspian, White, Barents and Kara basins. Found in Lake Onega and Lake Ladoga. The eastern border of the sterlet's range is the Yenisei River. This is a common bottom fish that lives in deep sections of rivers. In winter it lies in pits.

There are two known geographical races of sterlet - European and Siberian. They differ from each other in a number of biological parameters.

Sterlet differs from other sturgeon fish by its elongated narrow snout, on which long fringed antennae are located. The mouth is small, the lower lip is interrupted. The color of its back varies from dark gray to grayish-brown, its belly is white. There are 11-18 dorsal bugs, 10-20 abdominal bugs.

The sterlet becomes sexually mature at the age of 4-7 years. Moreover, Siberian sterlet matures 1-2 years later. Like other sturgeons, males become sexually mature 1-2 years earlier than females. The fertility of sterlet fluctuates around 100 thousand eggs. The caviar is small, 2-3 mm in diameter. Depending on the length of the river and the location of the spawning grounds, sterlet breeds from April to June at a water temperature of 7-15°C. Spawning grounds are located at a depth of 7 to 15 m on pebble-sandy soils. Each individual spawns after 2-3 years.

The duration of embryogenesis, as in other fish species, depends on water temperature and, under favorable conditions, ranges from 4-9 days. The hatched larvae are small in size (4-6 mm) and with very small reserves of nutrients (the total mass of the larvae in artificial conditions is 5-7 mg). The larvae usually stay in the area of ​​spawning grounds, and at the juvenile stage they go into river beds. Their food at this time consists of small insect larvae. After moving into the rivers, juvenile sterlet and then adult fish feed on aquatic insect larvae, small mollusks and eggs of other fish.

Being the smallest representative of the sturgeon, the sterlet is no different high speed growth. Its maximum dimensions are 125 cm, body weight is up to 16 kg. In commercial catches, the size of sterlet does not exceed 100 cm, and body weight ranges from 6.0-6.5 kg.

In fish farming, domesticated forms of sterlet and its industrial hybrids with beluga and sturgeon are most often used. Hybrids that are characterized by fairly intensive growth compared to the original forms are especially promising for fish farming purposes. Hybrid breeds of sterlet with beluga (bester) and sturgeon (oster) are known. The growth rate of oster in comparison with beluga and sterlet can be judged from the results obtained at fish farms in Karelia. Two-year-olds raised during one growing season under similar conditions had the following body weight: sterlet - 900 g, sturgeon - 1290 g and sturgeon - 1500 g. Thus, the latter is a promising object for pond and cage fish farming.

Stellate sturgeon(Acipenser stellatus Pall.) is distributed in the basins of the Caspian, Azov, Black and, less commonly, Adriatic seas. It differs from other species of the sturgeon genus by its elongated (up to 60% of the head length) and flattened snout. This is a typical migratory fish with a pronounced division into spring and winter forms. In terms of numbers, the spring form significantly exceeds the winter form.

A characteristic species feature of the stellate sturgeon is its elongated and flattened snout, which makes up more than 60% of the length of the head, and short antennae without fringe. The back is usually blackish-brown, the sides are light, and the belly is white. There are 9-16 dorsal bugs, 26-43 lateral bugs, 9-14 ventral bugs. The size of female sturgeon varies from 130 to 150 cm and males - from 120 to 150 cm. The body weight of females is 11-13 kg, males - 6-8 kg.

Depending on its habitat, the stellate sturgeon reaches maturity at different ages. Typically, male stellate sturgeon become sexually mature at the age of 7-12 years, and females - 9-17 years. Fecundity also varies quite significantly. Usually in different populations it ranges from 48 thousand to 950 thousand, on average about 200 thousand eggs. The Ural population of stellate sturgeon is the most prolific. Spawning migration to rivers begins later than for other sturgeons. In the rivers of the Caspian basin, the first individuals usually appear in April, then spawning migration continues until December. Spawning begins in May and continues until August, at a water temperature of 12-26°C. The spawning grounds of stellate sturgeon in rivers are located somewhat lower than the spawning grounds of beluga and Russian sturgeon on pebble-sandy soils.

Embryogenesis in stellate sturgeon lasts at a temperature of 16°C for about 130 hours, and at a temperature of 23°C - 67 hours. The hatched larvae have a body weight of 20-25 mg, with a length of 9-11 mm. Endogenous feeding lasts 6-8 days (depending on water temperature). After spawning, stellate sturgeon spawners and developing juveniles do not linger in the spawning areas, but migrate to coastal areas of the sea. The main food of the sturgeon are amphipods, oligochaetes, mysids and small fish. In the Caspian Sea the main food source is stellate sturgeon polychaete worms Nereis.

In terms of growth rate and nutritional qualities, stellate sturgeon is close to Russian sturgeon and can be an excellent object for commercial fish farming.

(Huso huso L.) is one of the largest and longest-living anadromous fish. Its range covers the basins of the Caspian, Black, Azov and Adriatic seas. This is one of the largest anadromous sturgeon fish, reaching a length of more than 5 m and a body weight of more than 1 ton. The average fishing weight of females is 90-120 kg, males - 60-90 kg.

The beluga has a massive, thick body (huso in Latin means “pig”). The mouth is semi-moon shaped and large. The back and sides are grayish-dark, the belly is white. There are 9-17 dorsal bugs, 37-53 lateral bugs, 7-14 ventral bugs.

Sexual maturity in females occurs at the age of 16 (Don, Volga) to 30 (Kura) years. Males mature 3-5 years earlier. Spawning is not annual. Fertility ranges from 500 thousand to 5.0 million eggs, depending on the size of the fish. The average fertility of running females is 715 thousand eggs. Spawning migration to rivers usually begins in March (still during the ice-covered period), and the first peak continues until mid-May. The second peak was noted in late summer - early autumn. Producers migrating in the spring spawn in the same year (spring form), while those that migrate in the summer and autumn spawn only the next year (winter form). Beluga spawns in April-May at a water temperature of 6-7°C at a depth of 4 to 15 m in the presence of a fast current. The soils of the spawning grounds are represented by rocky ridges and pebble placers.

The duration of the embryonic period at a water temperature of 11-12°C is on average about 8 days. Juveniles and adult fish hatching from eggs do not stay in the river after spawning and roll into the sea.

Juvenile belugas in natural conditions feed on invertebrates - mysids, gammarids, oligochaetes. Adult fish become predators and feed mainly on pike perch, carp, bream, sprat, as well as juveniles - their own and other representatives of sturgeon.

Beluga breeders are used in sturgeon hatcheries for artificial reproduction. The technology for obtaining reproductive products, insemination and incubation of eggs, and raising young fish has been developed. Beluga was the original form in the production of an industrial hybrid (beluga x sterlet), called “bester”.

Bester (Acipenser nikoljukini). Three breeds of bester have been bred and registered in Russia: bester Burtsevsky, bester Aksaysky and bester Vnirovsky. All these breeds were first obtained by Professor N.I. Nikolyukin at the Teplovsky fish hatchery in the Saratov region and have received wide recognition both in Russia and in other countries (Poland, Latvia, Italy, Japan, Hungary, USA, China, Korea, etc. ).

Bester Burtsevsky(BS) - an intergeneric hybrid from the crossing of a female beluga and a male sterlet, first obtained in 1952. In appearance it is very similar to a sterlet. Sexual maturity occurs in males at the age of 4 years, in females - at 8 years. Fertility - 120 thousand eggs. Fingerlings reach a weight of 100 g, two-year-olds - 700 g, three-year-olds - 1500 g.

This hybrid is an object of commercial fish farming, the final product of which is considered to be fish with a body weight above 1 kg. Along with this, it is used to produce edible black caviar, which is in great demand in the market.

Bester Aksaisky(SBS), or sterlet bester, is an intergeneric return hybrid from crossing a female sterlet with a male bester. It was first received in 1958. In 1969 and 1973. returnable hybrids “sterlet x bester” were also obtained at the Aksai fish farm Rostov region. In appearance it resembles a sterlet, but is larger in size and large mass bodies. Characterized by early puberty compared to the original forms. Females reach sexual maturity at the age of 3 years, males at the age of 2 years. Average fecundity is 40 thousand eggs. Fingerlings reach a weight of 60 g, two-year-olds - 500 g and three-year-olds - 1000 g.

Bester Vnirovsky(BBS), or beluga bester, is an intergeneric return hybrid from crossing a female beluga with a male bester, first obtained in 1958. The second time the crossing was carried out in 1965 at the Rogozh sturgeon factory in the Rostov region. Since 1965, work on its selection has been carried out at the Aksai fish farm in the Rostov region.

According to their own external signs Bester Vnirovsky approaches the beluga. It is larger than the bester and has a greater body mass. Reaches sexual maturity at the age of 8 (males) and 14 (females) years. The fertility of females is 2.5 times higher than that of bester and almost 6 times higher than that of bester sterlet; on average it is 300 thousand eggs. It is more demanding on the quality of feed and growing conditions.

Oster created by crossing female Lena sturgeon with male sterlet. According to the materials available in the literature, the oster is characterized by a good growth rate, is resistant to changes (not sharp) in temperature, and effectively consumes both natural food and pelleted feed.

The growth rate of oster in the northern region can be judged from the materials we received at the Kedrozersky fish hatchery. Before rearing, oster fingerlings had a body weight of 19.4 g and a length of 15 cm. At the end of the growing season, the average body weight of fish was 129 g and a length of 34 cm. After the second growing season, it was 672 g and a length of 48 cm. Body weight accumulates most intensively on second year of life. Oster was grown on standard (Rehuraisio, Coppela) and special wet mixtures of close chemical composition. The feed ratio ranged from 1.1-1.4 and was close to the same indicator for Lena sturgeon (1.2-1.5).

Oster is not picky about existing food of artificial origin, although it prefers natural food organisms.

L. P. RYZHKOV, T. Y. KUCHKO, I. M. DZYUBUK. Basics of fish farming