Walleye
Sander vitreus
Also known asPickerel (Canadian usage) · Dore
Water parameters
Minimum tank: 800 L per individual at harvest size.
Feed and growth
- Feed protein
- 42% target
- Daily feed (warm)
- 1.10% of body weight
- Daily feed (cool)
- 0.60% of body weight
- Max density
- 30 g per litre
A 1500 g adult eats about 16.5 g of feed per day at optimum. 10 fish at adult size: ~165 g daily.
Legality
Rules vary by jurisdiction and change over time. Verify with your local fisheries or wildlife authority before stocking.
| Jurisdiction | Status | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| California | permit required | Aquaculture registration required verified 2026-05-13 |
| Minnesota | permit required | Minnesota DNR aquaculture permit required for native species production verified 2026-05-13 |
Unlisted jurisdictions default to "check local regulations".
Origin and habitat
Native to large lakes and rivers across central and eastern North America, from the Great Lakes and Hudson Bay drainage south through the Ohio and upper Mississippi basins. The species (Sander vitreus) is the most prized freshwater sport and food fish across the northern US and Canada. Wild walleye inhabit cool, clear to moderately turbid water over sand, gravel, or rock substrates. Adults reach 75 cm and 5–8 kg; exceptional specimens exceed 10 kg. The flesh is white, firm, lean, and delicately flavored, consistently ranked as the best-tasting freshwater fish in North America. Walleye support massive recreational fisheries worth billions in economic activity across the Great Lakes states and Canada. Commercial aquaculture of walleye is growing but remains small compared to catfish or trout.
Climate and outdoor ponds
- Climate
- temperate (handles seasonal swings)
- 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
A premium cool-water food fish for aquaponics, directly analogous to pikeperch (zander) in European systems. Optimal temperature is 18–22°C, with tolerance from 5–28°C. Growth in intensive culture: 300–700 g in 18-24 months on high-protein pellet (42-48% protein). FCR is 1.5-2.0 for pellet-trained fish. Walleye are the most challenging commonly cultured percid: feed training is difficult (many fingerlings refuse pellets and must eat live food), stress-related mortality during handling and transfer is high, and cannibalism in early life stages causes severe losses. Source pellet-trained fingerlings from specialized walleye hatcheries; expect to pay a premium. Stocking density: 10-20 g/L, lower than more tolerant species. Dissolved oxygen above 5 mg/L; ammonia below 0.5 mg/L. Low light is preferred; walleye have sensitive eyes and perform poorly under bright overhead lighting. Dim or shaded tanks improve feed intake and reduce stress. Fingerlings are available from state hatcheries and private walleye producers, primarily in the Great Lakes region and Upper Midwest. The market value ($15-25/kg retail) justifies the higher production difficulty for operators who can manage the species successfully.