Striped bass
Morone saxatilis
Also known asStriper · Rockfish (Chesapeake) · Linesider
Water parameters
Minimum tank: 1500 L per individual at harvest size.
Feed and growth
- Feed protein
- 42% target
- Daily feed (warm)
- 1.80% of body weight
- Daily feed (cool)
- 0.70% of body weight
- Max density
- 35 g per litre
A 5000 g adult eats about 90.0 g of feed per day at optimum. 10 fish at adult size: ~900 g daily.
Legality
Rules vary by jurisdiction and change over time. Verify with your local fisheries or wildlife authority before stocking.
| Jurisdiction | Status | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| us-general | check local regulations | Wild striped bass are heavily regulated in most Atlantic states (slot limits, seasonal closures). Aquaculture regulations vary by state; some require permits for any Morone culture verified 2026-05-14 |
Unlisted jurisdictions default to "check local regulations".
Origin and habitat
Native to the Atlantic coast of North America, from the St. Lawrence in Quebec south to Louisiana and the Gulf, with the southern limit in Florida's St. Johns and Suwannee drainages. A temperate bass of the family Moronidae, it is anadromous, feeding in coastal seas and running up freshwater rivers to spawn, and landlocked populations now live in many large reservoirs. Sea-run adults commonly reach about 1–1.5 m and 20 kg, with a maximum near 2 m and 57 kg and a lifespan up to 30 years; landlocked fish are smaller. It is among the most prized sport and commercial fish of the eastern US, going by striper, linesider or, in the Chesapeake, rockfish. The flesh is white, firm and distinctive, and sells at a premium. Pure striped bass are farmed far less than the hybrid striped bass because they grow slower in ponds, are fussier about water quality and tolerate handling and confinement poorly.
Climate and outdoor ponds
- Climate
- temperate (handles seasonal swings)
- USDA zones
- 4–9 (winter low around -34°C or warmer)
- Heating needed
- no
- Cooling needed
- no
Care notes
A premium temperate food fish for large systems, less common in culture than the hybrid striped bass because it asks more of the grower. It does best around 18–24°C within a tolerance of about 5–28°C, and records put its preferred band near 8 to 25. Pellet-trained fish reach roughly 500–1.5 g in 18 to 24 months on high-protein feed of 42 to 48 percent, with feed conversion near 1.5 to 2.0, poorer than the hybrid's, which can run near 1.0 to 1.2. Keep dissolved oxygen above 5 mg/L and ammonia low. These are active, schooling swimmers that need big tanks or raceways with strong circulation, and stocking sits around {density:10}-{density:20}. Feed training has to start with small fingerlings, and the fish stress more during grading and transfer than the hybrid, raising losses. For most growers the hybrid striped bass is the practical pick, with faster growth, easier handling and similar eating quality; pure striped bass mainly suits those chasing the wild-striped-bass market or working where the hybrid is restricted. Fingerlings come from specialist East Coast hatcheries, and wild striped bass are tightly regulated, so any Morone culture needs a check of state rules.