Siberian sturgeon

Quick facts

Adult size

120 cm, 15000 g typical harvest weight

Days to harvest

1825 to 2920 days from fingerling

Lifespan (max)

up to 60 years

Diet

carnivore

Temperature class

cool-water

Difficulty

advanced

Water parameters

Temperature range

2–24°C (optimum 18°C)

pH

6.5 to 8

Hardness

5 to 20 dGH

Minimum tank

3000 L per individual at harvest size

Feed and growth

Feed protein

42% target

Daily feed (warm water)

1.20% of body weight per day

Daily feed (cool water)

0.50% of body weight per day

Max stocking density

50 g per litre of system water

A 15000g adult eats about 180.0 g of feed per day at optimum temperature. For a roster of 10 fish at adult size, that's around 1800 g of feed daily.

Legality

Aquaculture and possession rules vary by jurisdiction and change over time. This table reflects regulations as of the verified date on each row. Verify with your local fisheries or wildlife authority before stocking.

Jurisdictions not listed here default to "check local regulations". A non-listing is not a green light; rules in your specific county or municipality may apply.

Habitat and origin

Native to rivers draining into the Arctic Ocean and the Caspian, Aral, and Black Seas across Russia and Central Asia, including the Ob, Yenisei, Lena, Irtysh, Volga, and Danube basins. The species (Acipenser baerii) has the widest natural distribution of any sturgeon and is the most widely farmed sturgeon species in the world. Commercial production occurs in France, Italy, Germany, Spain, China, Uruguay, the US, and at least a dozen other countries. Adults reach 2 m and over 100 kg, though culture fish are typically harvested at 3–10 kg for meat or held to 8-12 years for caviar. Siberian sturgeon produce baerii caviar, a premium product ($150-500/kg retail) positioned slightly below osetra (from Russian sturgeon) in the traditional caviar hierarchy. Wild populations are listed as Endangered by the IUCN due to overfishing, dam construction, and pollution in their native rivers.

Climate and outdoor ponds

Climate classification

cold-water (cool water required, dies in heat)

Outdoor pond zones (USDA)

3 to 8 (winter low around -40°C or warmer)

Heating in a temperate climate

Not required (handles seasonal cool periods)

Cooling in a temperate climate

Not required

Zone bounds reflect year-round outdoor pond viability with no active heating. Anywhere outside the bounded zone, the species can still be kept in an indoor heated tank or a seasonally-managed system. Verify your specific microclimate, as a sheltered yard zone can run a half-zone warmer than the regional rating.

Care notes

The most commonly farmed sturgeon for caviar and the species with the best-established intensive culture protocols, making it the default sturgeon for aquaponics integration. Temperature range: 4–25°C, optimal at 15–20°C. Growth on high-quality sturgeon pellet (42-48% protein) is 1–3 kg per year under optimal conditions. FCR is 1.3-1.8, efficient for a large, slow-maturing species. Dissolved oxygen above 5 mg/L (ideally above 7 mg/L); ammonia below 0.5 mg/L. Stocking density in RAS: 20-50 g/L for juveniles, 15-30 g/L for larger fish. Siberian sturgeon adapt to intensive RAS conditions better than most other sturgeon species, tolerating handling, grading, and the confinement of tank culture with lower mortality than more stress-prone sturgeons like beluga or sterlet. For meat production, harvest at 3–5 kg (3-5 years) provides a premium product at $15-30/kg retail. For caviar, females need 8-12 years, making the investment timeline long but the return substantial. Several European commercial farms have integrated aquaponics-style plant production with sturgeon RAS waste water, demonstrating the concept at scale. Fingerlings are available from sturgeon farms in France, Germany, Italy, Spain, California, and other producing countries. CITES regulations apply to international trade in sturgeon products.

Further reading

• Aquaponics water chemistry: balancing pH for fish and plants
• Fish for aquaponics: tilapia vs everything else