What conditions are needed for sturgeon farming? A must-read for farmers

SummaryWater temperature can be controlled between 0-37°C, dissolved oxygen in the water should be above 5 mg/L, pH between 7-8, and there is no high requirement for salinity. Light intensity does not affect growth; in summer, set up a shade awning above the pond to prevent the water temperature from getting too high. The substrate for the growth of fry and juvenile sturgeon must be smooth and pollution-free, while for adult sturgeon a mud-sand substrate is sufficient. When rearing juvenile sturgeon, water transparency must be well controlled, ammonia nitrogen content should be below 0.2 mg/L, and water flow speed should be controlled at 10-20 L/min.

1. Water temperature requirements

Chinese sturgeon (Acipenser sinensis) has strong adaptability to growing water temperature. Generally, in artificial farming of Chinese sturgeon, the water temperature can be controlled at 0-37°C; the suitable water temperature for their growth is 13-25°C, the most suitable water temperature for their growth and development is 20-22°C, the suitable water temperature for induced spawning of broodstock is 17-24.5°C, and the most suitable water temperature for egg hatching is 17-21°C.

After entering winter, when the water temperature drops to 9-6°C, the food intake of Chinese sturgeon will decrease, growth stops, and body weight may even decline. Around the Beginning of Spring, when the water temperature rises back to about 10-13°C, they will begin to eat a small amount, but the growth rate is relatively slow. After Qingming, when the water temperature rises above 15°C, they begin normal feeding and the growth rate speeds up. When the water temperature is 33-38°C, their normal growth will be affected.

2. Oxygen content requirements

Chinese sturgeon has relatively high requirements for dissolved oxygen in the water, but fertilized water with large fluctuations in dissolved oxygen cannot be used to farm Chinese sturgeon fry and juveniles. Generally, the dissolved oxygen content in water for farming Chinese sturgeon should be controlled above 5 mg/L. If the dissolved oxygen content in the water is below 4 mg/L, they will reduce feeding. When the dissolved oxygen content in the water is as low as 3 mg/L or below, their food intake will decline rapidly and they will even stop feeding; in severe cases, it may cause slow movement, coma, and death.

3. pH requirements

Weakly alkaline water with a pH of 7-8 is most suitable for the growth of Chinese sturgeon. If the pH in the water decreases, carbon dioxide increases, and acidity strengthens, it will lead to a decrease in dissolved oxygen in the water, which is not conducive to the growth of Chinese sturgeon. If the pH is too high, the toxicity of ammonia nitrogen in the water will strengthen, affecting the growth and development of Chinese sturgeon.

4. Salinity requirements

Chinese sturgeon has strong adaptability to salinity. Under natural conditions, Chinese sturgeon generally grow by moving between saltwater and freshwater areas. They reproduce in freshwater and then go to seawater to grow.

5. Light intensity

When Chinese sturgeon are in the vertical swimming stage, the fry are relatively afraid of sunlight exposure, but after reaching the benthic stage, their phototaxis disappears. Generally speaking, light intensity will not affect the rearing of fry and juvenile sturgeon, but during high temperatures in summer, direct sunlight should be avoided because it causes water temperature to rise and affects the growth of Chinese sturgeon. Shade equipment should be installed above the farming pond.

6. Pond bottom substrate

Chinese sturgeon fry and juvenile sturgeon have relatively high requirements for the pond bottom substrate. The pond bottom is required to be smooth and pollution-free, while adult Chinese sturgeon do not have very high requirements for the pond bottom substrate; a mud-sand substrate is sufficient.

7. Water transparency

In order to provide a better growing environment for Chinese sturgeon fry and juvenile sturgeon, during their rearing stage, water transparency should preferably be controlled at around 40-60 cm, and excrement in the pond should be cleaned up in time to control the amount of plankton, mud, and other suspended matter in the water and maintain good water quality. During the rearing of adult Chinese sturgeon, water transparency only needs to be controlled at around 30 cm.

8. Ammonia nitrogen content

If the ammonia nitrogen content in the water is too high, it will lead to reduced activity and slowed growth of Chinese sturgeon, and may also cause diseases such as gill rot; in severe cases, it may even lead to mass death of the fish school. During the rearing stage of Chinese sturgeon fry and juvenile sturgeon, the ammonia nitrogen content in the water should preferably be controlled below 0.2 mg/L.

9. Water flow speed

Chinese sturgeon fry and juvenile sturgeon like to gather and move around the water inlet. Generally, in a farming pond with an area of 3-10 sq m, the water flow is best controlled at 10-20 L/min. When spawning, they mostly choose waters where the river channel turns and there is a deep pool; the flow field is accompanied by eddies and there are also large cobblestones. The average water flow speed is generally around 1-2 m/s.