Advances in the larval rearing of Siberian sturgeon

Abstract

Since first large-scale attempts to culture sturgeon from the larval stage were carried out in the former U.S.S.R. at the end of the nineteenth century, rearing technology has advanced considerably during the last 20 years and noticeable improvements in incubation and larval rearing techniques have been implemented in normal hatchery procedures. Siberian sturgeon eggs are incubated in MacDonald jars at 13-14 C to prevent fungal infections. Mass hatching takes place 7 days after fertilization and hatching rate can be predicted as a function of the percentage of eggs fertilized. Survival at the end of the endogenous feeding stage is correlated with hatching rate. Egg size has no direct implications for larval growth and survival of Siberian sturgeon. Experimental studies have demonstrated that behavioural observations are useful criteria to assess the quality of larvae and to synchronize the physiological state of fish with the appropriate rearing procedures. Special attention should be given to the transition to exogenous feeding, where cannibalism, difficulties in adaptation to a new diet, overfeeding and resulting bacterial infections dramatically reduces survival to the fingerling stage. Although a commercial artificial diet specifically formulated for larvae of Siberian sturgeon and other acipenserids is still lacking, commercial non-purified rainbow trout diets and starter marine fish diets are currently used and their results are reasonably acceptable in terms of larval growth and survival. Further research must be focused on the determination of egg quality indicators in order to provide the producer with the tools to estimate the viability and performance of the progeny.

A Riparian Habitat Hypothesis for Successful Reproduction of White Sturgeon

“…or Artemia salina (Monaco et al, 1981;Buddington and Doroshov, 1984;Dabrowski et al, 1985). A mixture of food organisms produces faster growth than one alone (Gisbert and Williot, 2002). Feeding at a rate of 10-30% of total body weight per day was needed, usually more in the first few Downloaded by [University of Saskatchewan Library] at 02:59 27 December 2014 days of exogenous feeding (Conte et al, 1988 for white sturgeon; Gisbert and Williot, 2002 for Siberian sturgeon).…”

“…Their eggs became adhesive within five minutes, independent of fertilization. The speed by which the jelly coat of the egg becomes sticky can vary among egg batches, however, and may depend on factors such as water temperature, time within the spawning season, egg quality, or variations among individual females (Gisbert and Williot, 2002). According to Markov, the attachment point can be anywhere on the egg where it contacts a smooth surface, with the animal pole rotating to the top in conformance with gravity.…”

“…The initial time of first feeding for fish larvae is considered to be a critical period because it influences their subsequent survival and growth. The highest daily mortality rate of young sturgeon occurs in the days of first and early feeding (Gisbert and Williot, 2002). Food deprivation after yolk absorption can result in abnormal behavioral and morphological development.…”

“…All sturgeon species have been added to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna Figure 2). Adapted from a brochure "To Save the Salmon," U. S. Army Corps of Engineers, Portland District (1997). and Flora (CITES), Appendix II, which went into effect in 1998 (Gisbert and Williot, 2002), and which is intended to restrict trafficking in endangered sturgeon materials (Raymakers and Hoover, 2002).…”

Effects of dietary bovine lactoferrin on growth, physiological performance, iron metabolism and non-specific immune responses of Siberian sturgeon Acipenser baeri

“…Furthermore, no information is available to determine the effects of dietary LF on the physiological and immunological responses of sturgeons. Siberian sturgeon Acipencer baeri, whose farming has recently increased, is an important species for sturgeon aquaculture and is the most commonly farmed Acipenserid species in western Europe [27]. Because of low stocks in some species of sturgeons, Siberian sturgeon has been used as a biological model for physiological and nutritional researches since 1980s [28].…”