Pond Boss Forums STOCKING A NEW POND Types of fish to choose White Sturgeon as a pond fish?

A local breeder ( Freshwater farms - Urbana - Ohio) for these guys was selling 12" white sturgeons the last few years and said they were being used as a novelty bottom feeder/sportfish like a channel cat. I just contacted them to get more info and found out they will not have any this year but are planning on having more of them next year.
My questions are, does anyone have any information on these? They are slow growers but the ones they use for brood stock are about 15-20 lbs and I think they said were like 10 years old so I am not worried about them being too big for the pond ( 3/4 acre) I was wondering if anyone knew the stocking rate per acre? and they would be stocked in conjuction with CC. I guess anything of interests would be great to know so dont be shy, lets hear about it. If I remember right, they were pricey, like 25 bucks each and I was thinking of maybe 4 of em. But looks like I ll have to wait for this year

Thanks,
Salmonid (Mark)

I think I would have to shell out a few bucks for a few sturgeon.

Don't ask me why 'cause I don't know.

I had the chance for a few paddlefish and I declined, so again, I have no clue why I would take a few sturgeon.

Don't let James Holt know about it.

Ok Ill bite, the White is supposed to be liek a CC with its feeding habits and can over time, grow to a worthy size. A paddlefish would do nothing but swim around and filter feed so that is no good to a fisherman like me. 8^)
Heck, Im sure in time my pond will have afew LN gar swimming around as well as a few other exotics ha ha. ( personal fascination with LN Gar and Sturgeon good thing Alligator gar dont live this far north.....)

Someone will need to fill me in on the James Holt crack, ???

Just wondered what others thought about it. I just thought they would be cool since I have fished several times for them across Norh America and still havent caught one to add to my life list. I figure the best way to figure out a species is to feed it daily and make it your friend, then proceed to catch it and then move on to another species ( just kidding folks)

Salmonid

Here is the info from FishBase.

http://www.fishbase.org/Summary/SpeciesSummary.php?id=2594

They can get way to big for a pond.

White Sturgeon can live to be over 100 years old. The rate of growth is dependent on water temperature. Typically, they reach six feet long around 25 years of age, showing that these fish do not grow as quickly as many other fish. White sturgeon are the largest freshwater fish in North America and can weigh over 1,500 pounds, be 20 feet in length, and live for over 100 years.

I just think I'd have a problem putting something in my pond that I know will outlive me.

Still a very neat fish, though. I hope I have the chance to see one up close and personal at some point in the future.

It could be crazy to have something that big in your pond. I suppose over time, you might really bond with the fish; well either that or get eaten by it.

Mark B, james holt has a fish problem.

Yep, James needs therapy. He is a stockaholic. He has never seen a fish that he didn't want to buy and stock.

Hi, my name is James. I have a weakness for fish farms.

Don't give James a hard time guys.....


My baby girl needs some new shoes......

In Europe sterlet sturgeon are popular pond fish and sturgeon hybrids are stocked in some fishing dams or so I have read

Fish stores sell them in the US for the pond keeping hobby

maybe you could sell the eggs for caviar and recoup some of your $25

We just had a combined North Dakota, South Dakota and Iowa American Fisheries Society here in Sioux Falls. One talk was about bowfin and another about shovelnose sturgeon. Bowfin roe is bringing anywhere from $75 to almost $200 per pound. Shovelnose sturgeon and paddlefish roe is bring anywhere from $150-300 per pound. Lots of people will be raising anything that produces a black roe.

If you ever get out west, stop in at the Bonneville trout hatchery in Oregon. They have white sturgeon the size of navel torpedos in show ponds.

They are the coolest looking fish when they are small, but they are going to churn the bottom of your pond pretty agressively. They are not what you would call a warm water fish either. If you don't have soft mud in your pond, it would be fun to try them. They also taste fantastic, especially when smoked.

Mckenzie Fish Co in Stacy Minnesota is selling lake sturgeon fry this year. I am very tempted to try raising them. He claims that they will take to pellets and will keep your lake clean by eating algae from the bottom, lots of snails, and other small organisms.

Sounds pretty neat, especially if they would get BIG! What would be more impressive than feeding a 5' long fish at the end of your dock??? (especially when everyone else only has 12" fish!! Also I bet they grow alot faster on a pellet diet as opposed to algae?

Interesting topic. I just read some on caviar (I never had it) and aquaculturists raising sturgeon. For finished caviar from White Sturgeon they can get around $54/oz. That's crazy and cool at the same time. I wonder if you started stocking a few females each year and started harvesting them around 9 years when they are ready to spawn, that you could make some good money on the side to pay for the fish truck each year and the food.

From what I read the meat is supposed to be fairly valuable as well as tasty. I take it that you can't just squeeze the fish to harvest the eggs though and you have to kill it. That is too bad.

You can remove the eggs, and sew the female back up.
Their plumbing is,well, different, to say the least.
We used to make a small incision and take a peak/sample, but now it's high-tech! (laproscopy)
Of course, we have YET to successfully spawn one!

ceadmin,
Not an Arfcommer, by chance? (Molon Labe)

I'll have to look into how hard laproscopy is, as this topic has peaked my curiosity a little. Something else I can add to the pond to offset costs. And convince the wife that we actually use it to make money from it...

An Arfcommer, you say...I can't believe you would think that I would fit into that category of survivalists carrying EBR's all over the place.

Heheh...I got 2 (one for me and one is the wife's), haven't even been to the range yet this year...dang weather...

And I'm not saying I've used the high $$$ laproscopy equipment to check rifle bores......

Of course, being as we are a childish and immature bunch, we usually use it as a "nose cam".

I once attended a sturgeon seminar where the speaker would cut,sex,and sew a sturgeon faster than I can type the words!
Literally well under one minute!