Siberian sturgeon
Acipenser baerii
Water parameters
Minimum tank: 3000 L per individual at harvest size.
Feed and growth
- Feed protein
- 42% target
- Daily feed (warm)
- 1.20% of body weight
- Daily feed (cool)
- 0.50% of body weight
- Max density
- 50 g per litre
A 15000 g adult eats about 180.0 g of feed per day at optimum. 10 fish at adult size: ~1800 g daily.
Legality
Rules vary by jurisdiction and change over time. Verify with your local fisheries or wildlife authority before stocking.
| Jurisdiction | Status | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| cites | permit required | CITES Appendix II; international trade in wild-caught specimens requires permits. Farmed stock is exempt from most CITES restrictions but documentation of captive-bred origin is required for export verified 2026-05-14 |
Unlisted jurisdictions default to "check local regulations".
Origin and habitat
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
- cold-water (cool water required, dies in heat)
- USDA zones
- 3–8 (winter low around -40°C or warmer)
- Heating needed
- no
- Cooling needed
- yes, if summer water exceeds upper tolerance
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.