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Actually, most sturgeon are quite easy to keep. However, they're freaking CITES II. Don't support the further degradation of an already threatened animal.

I'm aware that you were not nagging, and I did not take it as such (I've seen many of your threads and, I am in agreement with many of your ideologies). Keep in mind that I've kept my fair share of large, messy fish, specifically ictalurids, panque and related wood eating loricariids, and of course, large, messy cyprinids; I'm no stranger to managing high waste levels.

Furthermore, I would like to note that the sterlet, despite it's relative hardiness, is NOT sufficiently kept in a 2000 gallon pond; as a nomadic, semi-social fish, most conventional ponds just don't have the facilities to happily house this animal.


Last edited by Cup_of_Lifenoodles at 14-Oct-2005 02:23

ok I wasnt nagging ya fella! Its just that most people on this site have a few small community fish. Ive kept large iguanids, alligator snapping turtles and caiman,and large fish like arowana, and I wouldnt find sterlets especially tricky, but then to my mind keeping a caiman is easier than a tetra as regards water quality. But I dont think getting a hand ripped off or spending £500- £15000 on an enclosure and having a license, spending several hundred bucks on vetinary care, feeding ,not to mention the hundreds of hours of labour involved is something that most people would consider easy.Just as I wouldnt consider most people would consider keeping a large fish that is probably stronger than they are, has some vast space requirements and likely to cost them several thousand bucks over the duration of its very long life is a minor inconveinience.Lets be honest, we are talking small lake rather than pond here for truly humane captive care. I think a sterlet being easy is a viewpoint for the rich, the experienced, and maybe those people with deficiency of conscience who might see it fail and die or just organise a family cookout when it gets big. Most people who buy sterlets will end up with a huge fish that can cover maybe 50 feet of water in a single rapid sweep of its tail, in a small pond it wouldnt even be able to stay fit, and if it ever panics its gonna get some serious injuries, or turn the pond its in into a complete mudbath.


Its a perspective thing, and even then- not really.


Last edited by longhairedgit at 10-Oct-2005 10:41

They are easy to care for, size of course, notwithstanding; far more tolerant of varying water parameters than your quoted neon, but whatever.

Last edited by Cup_of_Lifenoodles at 08-Oct-2005 16:06

HAHAH thats one of my classic excuses! (thats how you get around girlfriends and wives that think a 3 foot tank is big. Im sure it leads to divorce occasionally

if the worse comes to worse i make the pond big it a great excuse 2 make it bigger

EASY , yeah right. Easy is a neon tetra. This is like people who keep dogs taking on an elephant and thinking its easy.Oooooh look isnt it cute oops it grew up

Netted a 5 foot fish anyone?

...except that they grow almost 5 feet long, at the very largest, and cannot be housed in a 2500 gallon pond.

it a diamond sterlets and i agree they are really easy to keep, all they need to eat are pellit which sink and no blanket weed at bottom

i just brought a sterlets, and i was wondering if any one can give me some tips on keeping them, and tell me how big they can grow too

Sterlets can, depending on the subspecies get up to pretty much 2-3 metres,a suitable aquaria or pond for an adult would be 10,000 gallon plus for successful long term maintenance. They are not truly suitable for captivity, having thus far never been widely bred due to the size and conditions required.

They are often touted as algae and pondweed eaters but they are omniverous to primarily carnivourous taking midge larva like bloodworm and sometimes small fish, thus are not really suitable to be housed with all but the largest koi or other similar sized coldwater fish. Feeding one could get expensive as it may require several pounds of bloodworm per feeding. They are not great in ponds as they are a river fish at the beginnings of life often wishing to turn to a marine existence as adults (often in as little as three months), some subspecies can live an almost entirely freshwater lifestyle but few people will be identifying these species correctly. Hailing from asia and europe and the surrounding seas you may find it difficult to maintain the deep dark waters and cool temperatures they enjoy. Basically they are a type of sturgeon and should be treated as such in captivity, and you can expect all the usual problems such as rostral abrasion (nose rubbing), dodgy feeders,sores and wounds, (especially if substrates dont suit them ) plants uprooted,and other fish damaged by their bony carapaces when they panic or have fits of temper.In addition despite the coldwater metabolism they can produce simply massive amounts of waste- potentially more than a kilo in a single venting. Unmated females may also experience issues with egg binding and death.

They are a fish really only suited to vast public aquaria and the most experienced and well heeled hobbyists. Id probably take it back to the shop, they are as often happens with fish, a bit of a fashionable item at the moment. Most people will be unable to care for them long term and the trade really should not be encouraged.

Ive seen them starting to appear in shops in my area , and frankly most of them will just die , they are not as touted - a good addition to a koi pond.



Last edited by longhairedgit at 04-Oct-2005 18:18

"well we have over 2500 gallons pond n the filltering good"

Not nearly enough.

i found out female are bigger and grow faster, so i think is male cause he still very small and isn't growing very fast.

Last edited by cool_pete at 02-Oct-2005 07:19

google, i dont have much experience with these fishes, but they are a very uncommon fish to see in the aquarium black trade market. hehe

how can you tell if it is female or male

sounds good, when they are big, i think they are worth alot, given they are female. good find.

well we have over 2500 gallons pond n the filltering good

stergets, get very large, and are often hard to find. These fishes are grow to massive sizes to egg the cavier.

needs a big tank with great filteration.