Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I have 2 3 inch freshwater Siberian sturgeon. They are doing very well from what I can see. The larger of the 2 seems like his fins are pointing upwards a little bit. Should I be concerned? The ph is around 7.2 and the temperature is about 77 degrees F. They are in a 55 gal aquarium right now with lots of oxygen going through it. My intentions are to get them to grow another 3-4 inches then I will release the sturgeon in my 5' outdoor pond next year.
Right now they are only eating frozen bloodworms. What else should I be feeding them?

Thanks in advance
Mike

The Siberian sturgeon is an endangered species. (see link below) So I'm really not sure if it is legal for you to be keeping a sturgeon in a home aquarium. You will need to check your local law because housing an endangered species could result in a major fine (upwards of $5,000). And if you didn't purchase them from a pet store, I would recommend releasing them back into the wild as their population size is decreasing, which isn't good for their species. Not to mention these seemingly small fish (now) can grow to 6.5' , which you would not be able to accommodate in the home aquarium or your pond.

I feel it is best to leave the care of these endangered species to the professionals at the aquariums or better yet in the wild where they belong. Your tank is too hot for these fish also. Generally keeping sturgeon requires purchasing a chiller because they need cold waters (50-60 degrees F). I doubt that you would find a responsible aquarist that would disagree with me.
Siberian Sturgeon on IUCN red list

-----
Phishie
Site Coordinator

"An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure."